The World
by aznillusion183
Summary: Welcome to The World, 'Roronoa Zoro.' Omake: Shichibukai Special. Omake chapter for ohlordies!
1. The World

A/N: Sort of AU, but not really. They're still on the Grand Line, but…not. It'd not the kind of story that uses the same kind of literary emphasis as my other ones. It's more to get this idea out of my head. This might be hard to understand if you've never gamed before, but I'm drawing influences from things like Ragnarok Online and the dot hack series. I've been playing around with this idea a bit and haven't seen it done yet, so…here goes!

I hope you enjoy reading this. The first few chapters might be rough, since I'm trying to get more information in than anything else.

---

There was something about being on the ship of one of the Grand Line's most wanted pirates that attracted adventure.

If that's what you wanted to call it.

Zoro wouldn't necessarily call it _adventure_, per se. It was more like a distraction while they waited for the next big thing to happen.

After all, video games were pretty lame, if you asked him.

For one thing, the strength of the character didn't even correspond to the player's own abilities. You could be the freaking 120 million beri Pirate Hunter and be owned because your character was still level one. Plus, it was considered as poor sportsmanship to throttle your opponent in real life if they kicked you out of the ring with a one-hit KO. Several times in a row. Furthermore, it wasn't as graphic as real life.

His complaints with the whole system definitely did not come from the fact that he had been utterly ground up and spat out while playing Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six against Usopp. Or that Luffy had just hadoukened him to 0 HP in Street Fighter. Hell, even the degrading loss to Sanji while playing Cooking Mama (how did they even manage to convince him to play that sissy game?) wasn't part of it. [1]

At least, that's what he continued to tell himself over and over again as he gritted his teeth and continued to pump iron. Now _that's_ what he was good at. Being strong.

Zoro cursed the traveling salesman who had convinced them to buy the damned thing.

"_It's amazing!" the man had cooed, tenderly holding up the game console like an infant. "This GLGS—Grand Line Gaming System—can play games from all over the Grand Line! If you buy our product now, you'll get these games for fifty percent off the regular price as well as a chance to purchase our latest games while on your travels! It's a foolproof way to keep yourself entertained while on those long, arduous trips!"_

"_Nami! We have to buy this!" Luffy had insisted. When she glared at him for even suggesting that they use her precious money, he pulled out the puppy dog look. "Please?"_

_She capitulated. He cheered._

"Kuso…" Zoro muttered. "Everyone else has their little specialty game, but here I am stuck trying to figure out the difference between the 'A' and 'B' button functions. How the hell does Luffy remember all those combos?" As he grumbled to himself, he felt something hard strike him on the top of his head. Cursing and rubbing his green mop of hair, he picked up the object that had fallen from the sky, and spied a messenger bird flying away.

"'The World'?"

Zoro looked at the small box, emblazoned only with those two words in some archaic script. He opened it to find a small cartridge that would fit in the slot of the GLGS. He shrugged; the newer games they had had been delivered in this manner, so it was nothing unusual. Maybe he'd have more luck with this. Walking into the galley, he found Luffy prancing around a weeping Usopp while cheering in victory. When his captain spied the small box that Zoro carried, he whooped.

"What's that, Zoro? Is it another game? Let's play!" Luffy exclaimed, wrapping himself around Zoro's torso in a serpentine manner. He tugged the box out of Zoro's hands and began to try and read the instructions before sighing and giving it to Robin. "What does this say, Robin?" he asked plaintively.

She read the instructions on the inside of the box. "Okay, captain-san. It says…'Welcome to The World. Come and join a realm full of adventure, danger, and fun! Compatible for up to eight players.' There isn't anything else," she said with a shrug.

Luffy looked around excitedly, counting on his fingers. "We've got eight people," he said in excitement. "Let's play!"

"Wait, captain-san. There's a line of fine-print here…it says that the latest three-dimensional headgear is required to play for all participants, and that any injuries sustained shall not be the liability of the GLGS company. Unfortunately, we lack the headgear," she said apologetically. [2]

Zoro stood and turned to the door. "They might have delivered some on deck. This one fell from the sky, so maybe…" He went to the deck of the Thousand Sunny and was not disappointed. A large crate marked "FRAGILE" had landed on the soft grass of the deck's lawn, and he dragged it inside. "Here we go."

"What about the part that was talking about injuries?" Chopper asked tremulously.

Luffy laughed in a carefree way. "You'll be here with us, right? As long as our doctor's with us, we'll be fine!"

"That doesn't make me happy, asshole!"

"Someone should keep watch, just in case there's trouble," Sanji said. "We wouldn't want the Marines to drop in while we're playing videogames. That would just be pitiful. I can just imagine the headlines now…"

Franky raised his hand. "I'll keep watch. Don't worry, I'm not into the whole videogame thing. I'll let you guys know if anything's up, okay?" He rose and left, presumably to the crow's nest.

Once everyone was hooked up, Zoro picked up the game and stuck it into the slot, and then pressed _Start_. He pulled on his helmet just in time to see the introduction to the game.

Wearing the helmet provided a whole new perspective. It was as though they had stepped onto a new island; the screen provided the sights, sounds, and even smells of their new surroundings. At first, everything was black, and Zoro was unsure as to whether or not the game was operating properly. When the words "The World" flashed in front of him in bright red letters, he knew that it was working.

The darkness faded away into a grassy field, and he found that he was alone in the field. The air shimmered in front of him, and a person appeared in the form of what could only be described as a small sprite. The sprite—who turned out to be a woman—smiled serenely and said in a smooth, musical voice, "Name." Zoro stared for a moment, then started and said, "Roronoa Zoro." He heard the others saying their own names, and wondered if they were going through the same process. The sprite repeated his name, and when Zoro nodded the sprite said, "Requesting approval for screening." Now, he definitely didn't know what that meant, but he might as well do it.

"Approval granted," he said. She smiled and began to shimmer again.

"Prepare for combat."

"Wait, what?" Zoro said in alarm, seeing the sprite morph into a monstrous ogre. He took a deep breath, and began to experimentally tap the buttons on the controller in his hand. Somehow, he managed to grasp the controls intuitively—there was something about being faced with a giant monster that made you value your life enough to teach yourself how to move—and wished that he could use his swords. When the monster lunged after him, he managed to avoid the charge and struck out at the beast. He was surprised to find himself actually being physically affected by the jarring motions, but quickly forgot about it when he found an array of weapons floating in the air. "Katana…katana…" he muttered to himself, and grinned in delight when he found three suitable ones. He grabbed them, and decimated the beast. However, he noticed that his body was unusually unresponsive and weak.

"Screening complete," a familiar voice said, and the sprite rose from the bloody remains of the ogre. "Melee fighter. Physical attributes: strong. Intelligence: low. Weapon of choice: katana."

Zoro grumbled when he heard the sprite commenting on his intelligence.

"Please choose your avatar," the sprite continued, waving a hand and conjuring several body forms in midair. Zor perused them carefully and finally found a body that was muscular enough for him without looking like Oz. He pointed to the body and was a little freaked out when the bodies disappeared, to be replaced with a row of floating heads.

"This is way too weird..." he muttered to himself, choosing details that went from facial structure to nose type. "I wonder if Usopp managed to find a nose long enough for him?"

"Please choose your colors," the sprite said, bringing up a rainbow of palettes. "Skin tone first."

"Hm, that tan color looks about right. Hair?" Zoro asked, and the sprite nodded. Zoro hesitated. "I could change my hair color...eh, whatever. I like looking like a marimo. I mean I like my green hair, damnit! That one," he pointed.

"'Roronoa Zoro,' are you in possession of any Devil Fruit abilities?"

"Hell, no."

The sprite continued to speak. "Processing…'Roronoa Zoro' will be born as a level one novice. You will be provided with your weapon of choice: katana and will level with elevated Physical levels and deflated Intelligence levels. If you are willing to proceed, please indicate with 'Yes' or 'No.'"

Zoro sighed, and then said, "Yes." He might as well get on with the game.

The grassy field disappeared, and he heard the sprite say, "Welcome to The World…"

In place of a field, Zoro found himself in a forest. He looked around and found himself to be alone again, and searched for some kind of instruction. He nearly shouted when words began to form in the air directly in front of his face.

"Welcome, 'Roronoa Zoro.' To determine your class, please locate the farmer to the west. To level up, proceed to the field in the south. For more tutorials, say 'Help.'"

Zoro trudged away from the words, muttering "Damned videogames," as he walked away. He had intended to find the farmer, but found himself in the middle of yet another grassy field. He saw a group of other players, and trudged up to them.

"Is that Zoro?"

"It's gotta be him! Look at those katana!"

"Leave it to the marimo to be the last one here."

Zoro looked around and realized that he had found the rest of his crew. While their bodies were the same, they all wore different clothing from what they wore in the real world. Looking down, he saw that he was also garbed in the same plain slacks and tunic made from rough cloth as they were, and grinned as he saw the three swords by his side. He saw Nami hefting a large staff and Usopp hoisting a gun by his side, but the others were unarmed. He chuckled when he saw that Chopper was in his reindeer form—the Grand Line Gaming System must have included information about Devil Fruits.

"So what the hell are we doing here?" Zoro asked, looking around.

Nami rolled her eyes. "Didn't you listen to the tutorial?" Zoro shook his head. "Figures. Well, we're here to level up so we're not entirely helpless. After we reach level ten we can go and talk to the farmer about our jobs. So, let's go find some monsters!"

"M-m-monsters?!" Usopp said in alarm, looking around. "Where?"

A shriek from up above called their attention to the sky. "It appears as though we are about to fight our first monsters, longnose-kun," Robin said, crossing her arms. A large flock of birds was coming after them, hooked beaks poised for the attack.

"Can you use your ability, Robin?" Nami said in surprise, gripping her staff.

"Yes," the archeologist responded simply. "But I can also do this. Fire!" Several of the birds were enclosed in a fiery embrace and disappeared in a poof of feathers. Zoro saw several small bags fall from the sky, but ignored it as the first wave of birds reached him. He managed to cut down quite a few of them, and it wasn't long until the ground was covered with feathers and small bags. He picked one up and gaped as he saw gold coins spill from it.

"Gold?" he said incredulously, biting a piece. It appeared to be real.

Quick as a flash, all the bags disappeared and Nami looked very satisfied. Words appeared above her head that said, "'Nami' has earned 132 gold!"

"That's not fair, Nami!" Luffy whined, picking up a feather and putting it in his hair experimentally. He looked lost without his straw hat, which hadn't carried over in the game. The words "'Monkey D. Luffy' has obtained (1) feather" formed over his head as the feather disappeared with a 'poof.' Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper immediately began running around, collecting feathers and laughing as they saw them disappear.

Zoro shook his head at their antics and suddenly felt a warmth enveloping his body; judging from the expressions of the rest of the crew, they were going through the same sensations as well. A burst of light emanated from his body, and the words "'Roronoa Zoro' has leveled up" popped up over his head. He grinned, feeling refreshed and a little more like himself.

"So this is leveling up, huh? C'mon, ero-cook, I bet I can reach level 10 before you can."

"You're on, marimo!"

The two of them ran through the field, searching for more monsters. The other Strawhat Pirates followed at a more reasonable pace. The first monster they stumbled upon was a small, round _manju_. [3]

"Are we supposed to eat this or kill it?" Zoro said skeptically, seeing the little manju smile at him. "Oh my god, it smiled. Manju isn't supposed to smile. Rice cakes are supposed to be eaten, right?"

Sanji laughed and reached down the pet the round blob that hopped back and forth. "C'mon, you can't possibly eat this cute little—ow!" The manju bit him, and hopped away. "I'll kill you, you shitty manju! I'll grill you until you're nice and crispy!" he shouted, running after it.

It wasn't long until they saw the familiar flash of light and the words "'Sanji' has leveled up."

---

"Finally, level ten!" Luffy cheered, clapping his sticky hands. He had resorted to eating rather than just killing the living rice cakes that ran rampant everywhere.

"Let's go find that farmer, then," Zoro said, walking in what he believed was the right direction. He heard sniggers and turned around. "What?"

"Zoro…it's that way," Nami said with a small smile. "Leave it to the navigator, okay?"

They found the farmer sitting against a wall, and Luffy ran up to him excitedly. "I'm level ten! What does that mean?"

The farmer looked at them and said, "Congratulations on reaching level ten. Please indicate your class of choice."

"Help," Nami said, and a tutorial flashed in front of her. "Is everyone paying attention? Good. Requesting: Class Guide."

Immediately, words began to play on an invisible slideshow. "Class Guide. Upon reaching level ten, you may choose one primary class and one secondary class. The screening process has already predetermined what class types are available to you. For more information, please request 'Class Guide: personal.'"

Nami grinned and turned around. When she saw that several of the men (including Luffy and Zoro) were still mystified, she sighed. "Here, I'll help you."

Eventually, they managed to straighten everything out. Nami cleared her throat and said, "I'll begin. Just follow my lead. Do you remember your classes? Good." She turned to the farmer. "Requesting class change."

"Please state name and intent," the farmer responded mechanically.

"Name: Nami. Intent: primary class mage, secondary class thief," Nami said confidently, waiting for the farmer to respond.

"Request granted, 'Nami.'"

She turned to the others and grinned cheekily. "See? It's so easy that you'd have to be an idiot not to understand."

"Perhaps I should go," Robin said. "Just in case they need another example. Requesting class change."

"Please state name and intent."

"Name: Nico Robin. Intent: primary class mage, secondary class acolyte."

"Request granted, 'Nico Robin.'"

"Oh! I want to go next!" Chopper squealed, hopping up and down excitedly. "Requesting class change! Bypass questions," Chopper said quickly, eager to get it over with. The farmer nodded, and Chopper continued. "Name: Tony Tony Chopper. Intent: primary class acolyte, secondary class brawler."

"Request granted."

"Requesting class change. Bypass questions. Name: Sanji. Intent: primary class brawler, secondary class merchant."

"Request granted."

"Requesting class change. Bypass questions. Name: Usopp. Intent: primary class gunslinger, secondary class mage."

"Request granted."

Luffy and Zoro looked at each other. "You go first," they said simultaneously.

"You're captain, so you get the honor of going first," Zoro said immediately.

"I'm captain, and I outrank you, so I say that you go first," Luffy countered.

"Damn. Okay. Uh…requesting class change," Zoro said hesitantly.

"I don't think you should bypass the questions, either," Sanji said sagely.

"Shut up, ero-cook."

"Marimo."

"Please state name and intent," the farmer interrupted them. He sounded awfully annoyed for an NPC. [4]

"Name: Roronoa Zoro. Intent: primary class swordsman, secondary class…" He paused, unable to choose. "…ninja."

"Request granted."

"That's so cool! I want to be a ninja, too!" Luffy exclaimed.

"You can't, baka. Your screening process doesn't allow it," Nami said, smacking him. "C'mon, hurry up. I want to go on to the next step."

"Ow, okay. Requesting class change. Bypass questions." The others gasped in shock; was Luffy capable of remembering what to say? "Name: Monkey D. Luffy. Intent: primary class brawler, secondary class—"

"Error. Character 'Monkey D. Luffy' has no secondary class available," the farmer interrupted. "First request granted."

"What the hell?" Luffy said angrily, reaching out to punch the man.

"Luffy, you can't harm the NPC," Nami said in exasperation. "You could get cited or something."

Luffy let his hand fall. "But why can't I choose another class?" he asked plaintively.

"Captain-san, I believe you can always choose another one later on in the game," Robin said quietly. "You'll just be stronger in your primary class."

"Hm…alright, then. Yosh! Where will we go next?" he said, quickly getting over the incident.

"Next location?" Nami asked the farmer.

"Please proceed to the City of Lotus. A map will be provided." The NPC paused, then said, "Requesting approval for finalization of class changes."

Nami looked around and said, "Is everyone okay with what you have? Except for Luffy," she said, ignoring her pouting captain. "Okay. Request granted."

Zoro looked down and saw his clothes disappearing and yelped in alarm. It wasn't as though he was ashamed of his body—actually, he kind of relished the fact that he had the body of a god—but definitely didn't want the others to see what he had to offer _down there_. Not that he was ashamed of that, either. He was relieved when he saw that he had been left with a loincloth on and that clothes were reappearing on his body. He now wore clothing that mixed the loose hakama of a samurai with the tighter clothing of a ninja. Smoky black and green cloth enveloped him from head to toe, and he wore soft leather boots that laced up his shin with hard shin-guards. His swords were fastened at the waist with a broad strip of cloth not unlike a haramaki, and his shirt flowed like the top of a kimono and was open in the front. All in all, very comfortable.

Zoro turned and saw that similar things had happened to the rest of the crew, although Sanji was writhing on the ground with a nosebleed—a virtual nosebleed?—after seeing Nami and Robin in their undergarments. ("'Sanji' has lost five Virtue Points")

Luffy looked at himself closely, turning around in vain while trying to see what the back of his outfit looked like. He wore a set of loose-fitting brown martial arts pants and shirt, the latter which was closed by a long belt. His sandaled feet slapped comfortably in the grass, and he grinned as he stretched experimentally. The rough clothing adapted well to his abilities. "Hey Nami, where's that city?"

Nami turned to him, her long orange robes rustling as she moved. She wore the typical heavily embroidered mantle of a mage, complete with hood, but it was unbuttoned and revealed the tight garb of a thief underneath—soft-soled shoes for silent steps, cropped brown shorts with pockets and chains to which she could fasten her tools, and a tight top to minimize rustling if needed. "It's a shame that the robe will give me away if I try to steal anything, but I suppose I could always take it off…hey Luffy, did you know that you have tattoos now?" she said in surprise. Indeed, he had two spindly red tattoos around each arm that ran across his torso in a spiraling pattern.

"Sugee! You do too, Nami!" he exclaimed, pointing to her face.

She touched one cheek softly; two thin auburn slashes were on each cheek. "Request coordinates: City of the Lotus." A translucent map materialized in thin air, which she perused curiously. "It's not far to the northeast. Shall we go?"

"Hai, Nami-swan!" Sanji cried jubilantly. He pranced towards her in his own loose garb similar to Luffy's. However, his were more refined and made of dark blue silk rather than the coarse brown sackcloth that Luffy's were made of, and he wore solid leather laced shoes rather than sandals. "Are you ready, Robin-chwan?"

Robin nodded, her long purple robes swirling around her. They were an almost violent purple hue, with silver thread tracing the shapes of constellations around it. It was of a lighter make than the heavy mantel that Nami wore, and buttoned halfway down to allow the bottom to flap freely. Underneath the robe she wore a simple button-down shirt and a skirt. She also sported a thin violet triangle adjacent to each of her eyes.

They marched on.

---

A/N: Here's some information that I left in brackets…

[1] Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six is a shooting game. Street Fighter is a…well…fighting game. I mean, you all know 'hadouken' right? And I've never played Cooking Mama before but it seems to fit Sanji, since he wears that pink Doskoi Panda apron around.

[2] The headgear was taken from .hack. It's like this thing that wraps around your eyes so you can't see anything except the game.

[3] I've seen the manju monster in Ragnarok and Water Margin. I think it's kinda cute, heh. Small and pink, with a leaf on its head. The pink ones are Porings, and the blue ones are…Pourings. I think they have metallic ones too. But they hop around and stuff, and most of them are generally weak.

[4] NPC: Non-player character. They're controlled by the game, and are usually guides or merchants and the like. In other words, this farmer isn't another player—he's a part of the game.


	2. You, again!

A/N: I love writing Zoro-centric…because he's Zoro. Sigh, I go back to school tomorrow, but I'll try to keep updating.

---

Zoro walked beside Luffy, wondering what was going to happen next. They been walking for about an hour, and there hadn't been any signs of other characters or the city.

"Oi Nami, are you sure this is the right way?" Usopp asked. He wore leather pants and a white shirt under a leather vest, both of which were equipped to hold plenty of ammunition. He had a cape that covered the shoulders that indicated his mage class, but it was a simple burgundy with little embroidery like the silver on Robin's own robe. He drew his pistol, checking the barrel almost obsessively.

Nami turned to him and gave him one of her most deadly glares. "Are you questioning the navigator that saves your ass daily on the Grand Line?" she asked quietly.

"Ahahaha, o-o-of course not, Nami!"

"Nami's scary when she's mad," Chopper whispered. He had donned his human form for the moment, and wore the light robes of an acolyte. Under these robes was a martial arts outfit that wasn't quite as rough as Luffy's, but not as fine as Sanji's either.

"I think I see something," Zoro said, squinting as he looked hard at the horizon. They could just barely make out a smudge in the distance. "Walking like this makes you miss being on the sea."

"Then let's run! Yosh!" Luffy cried, beginning to run. Everyone followed—mostly to ensure that their unruly captain didn't do anything foolish.

They arrived at the city in generally good shape, although Nami whacked Luffy across the head for making them run ("Luffy loses (5) HP"). The city was populated mostly by NPCs, although there was still the occasional player wandering around. The streets were paved with smooth stones and there was an eclectic mix of ancient Chinese architecture with modern electric lights and machines.

"Everyone, I read in the Tutorial that the first city has instructors for each class, so I want you all to go and find your teachers so you could learn the basics. Okay?" Nami announced, looking around curiously. "I think you have to just ask the NPCs where to find your teacher. Let's meet in the center square when we're done. Zoro, all you have to do once you finish is walk straight to the center of the city—see that fountain way over there? That's the one."

Zoro growled as he reddened. "I'm not going to get lost," he hissed before walking off.

"Uh, Zoro?"

"What, woman?"

"You're leaving the city. You gotta go that way if you want to find your teacher."

Zoro fled the sound of laughter, and cursed because he could still hear the others in the room laughing.

---

"Swordsman…swordsman…" Zoro muttered as he roamed the streets. "Hey, where can I find a swordsman teacher?" he called out to a nearby NPC.

Much to his chagrin, the NPC opened up a box and began peddling his wares to Zoro. "Would you like to buy some food? It'll help replenish your HP," the man said.

"WHERE CAN I FIND A FRIGGIN SWORDSMAN TEACHER?!" Zoro yelled into the air, and he heard the others sniggering at him as they heard him yelling in the galley.

Zoro could have sworn that he heard Sanji chuckle and say, "Awe, did the baka marimo lose his mama?"

He ran through the streets, stopping every single passing figure he saw. "It's just my luck that none of the others chose the swordsman or ninja classes," he grumbled, then stopped when he saw someone standing outside of what appeared to be a dojo wearing a sword. "Yes! That must be it!"

When Zoro came to a halt in front of the person carrying the sword, he stopped short. The swordsman turned around…

…and was a swordswoman. He should have known that there was trouble as soon as he spied the dark blue hair and red-rimmed glasses.

"You!" they yelled simultaneously, pointing their fingers. They both stood shock still, then withdrew the offending finger. "Sorry," they muttered. "Stop copying me!"

Zoro growled. "Just my luck, to meet you," he muttered, turning away. "Bye."

"Wait! Roronoa Zoro! How dare you think I'll let you just mosey on out of here?" Tashigi demanded, drawing her sword. "In the name of justice…"

"Oi, what are you going to do? You're not a Marine here too, are you? Because I can just log out if you keep bugging me," Zoro said in annoyance. "You probably don't even have the power to arrest me, unless you're an administrator. I don't even have my named swords with me, see?" Suddenly, he realized something. "Wait, if you're carrying a sword then you must have chosen the swordsman class, right?" he asked.

"Of course. What else would I be? But I'm secondary class ninja," she said with a blush. "You know, to boost my dexterity stats."

Zoro laughed. "You are pretty clumsy. But ninjas are cool, huh?" He smiled, forgetting who she was for a second, and then froze. "Wait…primary class swordsman, secondary class ninja…oh shit. That's the same as me."

Tashigi stared at him in disbelief. "You're not stalking me, are you?" she asked cautiously. "I mean, I know you pirates have ulterior motives and all—"

"Why don't you tell me what a Marine is doing playing videogames?" Zoro interrupted, not wanting to go down that particular road. "I'm sure you're busying capturing pirates and accusing innocent people of doing things they haven't done."

"Oh, so now you think you're innocent, do you, Roronoa?" she hissed, drawing her sword. "Just be glad that I haven't found the swordsman or ninja teacher yet, or I'd be taking you to the prison myself. I can just say it was sexual harassment."

"Oh, a Marine lying for petty revenge? Sorry, miss, but I'm looking for the teachers too. We're stuck until they're found. I doubt they'd believe the sexual harassment part, either." Zoro sidestepped, avoiding her sudden attack. "Tsk, I didn't think Marines were so sneaky. Maybe it's the ninja in you," he teased.

"Are you implying that I'm not attractive?" Tashigi demanded.

"I'm just saying that we should find that teacher and go our separate ways," Zoro said with a sigh. "Look, if this is a dojo then there should be a sensei or something. Let's go in."

She followed him into the building, where they found rows of little NPC children training. Leading them was a serene man with long black hair tied in the back that nodded as the children did their drills. He looked up over his round glasses at the two newcomers and blanched.

"That green hair…Zoro-kun?" the man said, staring in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

Zoro stared right back at him. "Koshiro-sensei…?"

(A/N: Koshiro is Kuina's father and Zoro's old teacher)

"I thought you were practicing your swordsmanship, not playing _videogames_," Koshiro said, looking flabbergasted.

"And I thought you'd be teaching your students, sensei," Zoro replied. "My captain just bought a GLGS and wanted to try it out. I would like you to know that I still haven't skipped a day of training, not even today."

Koshiro smiled. "I know that you'd never compromise. I'm just surprised. Er, about me playing…it turns out that a lot of my students liked to play this game, so I try and incorporate some training into it as they play. Some of them are training with the NPCs." He motioned to the group of students, and several of them waved in awe. "As it turns out, one of the administrators of the game approached me and asked me to be the teacher for swordsmanship in this city. I agreed to do it in my spare time."

"So I guess this is where we learn about swordsmanship," Tashigi said, stepping out from behind Zoro. Koshiro stared at her in shock, disbelief etched all over his face.

"Kuina…?" he said softly, reaching out to her. He stopped himself, and shook his head. "Life must have played a cruel joke on you, Zoro, to allow you to meet a woman such as this." When Tashigi looked at him in outrage, he smiled sheepishly and held up two hands. "No, no, what I mean is that you strongly resemble my deceased daughter, Kuina. She was Zoro's greatest rival when he trained at our dojo." He paused, seeing Tashigi's shocked face, and then gave a soft chuckle. "Did you come together?"

Zoro shook his head emphatically. "No. We just happened to meet outside. So what do we do, sensei?"

Koshiro looked thoughtful. "I'm sure that you are both well-versed in swordsmanship in the real world. There's a slight difference in this game. Have you noticed that you do not even consciously press the buttons anymore?" Both of them realized that they had not been paying attention to what they were doing, and nodded. "The thing about this game is that it becomes easier to navigate as though it were real life. You may not realize it now, but soon you will be able to wield techniques that you have learned in the real world, and ones that you can only learn here. It's quite remarkable, don't you think?"

"So…what do we do, then?" Tashigi asked.

Koshiro rubbed his chin before responding. "I suppose the first thing you'd have to do is learn the skill system. For swordsmen, each time you use a technique you earn a certain number of skill points. As the number of skill points increases, you'll be able to use your abilities to their full extent, and avoid being crippled by your low level or such. I want you two to go out and train until you reach level fifteen. By then, you should have increased your skill points enough to be comfortable—you may have noticed during the screening process that you were not up to par."

"Is there anywhere that's suitable for training?" Zoro asked.

"Try going to the eastern end of the city. There's an 'anything goes' fighting style ring there that attracts a lot of beginning players. I'm sure you'll find a lot of competition there," Koshiro suggested. Zoro and Tashigi bid him goodbye before turning to leave.

After much wandering, Tashigi took the lead and led them to the fighting ring that Koshiro has spoken of. There were far more people here than smattered through the rest of the city, and Zoro was interested to see that many of them looked more than competent for their level. The ring was large and enclosed on all sides like a boxing ring, and a commentator spoke through a Den Den Mushi from a stand above the crowd.

"And heeere we have a brand-new, level ten contender! Brave chap, isn't he? The level ten Sanji will be facing off with one of our more well-known rookies—oh my, he's already knocked him out, hasn't he? Er, winner: Sanji!" The commentator roared along with the voices of the spectators.

Zoro pushed his way through the crowd while dragging Tashigi along until he reached the ring. "Oi, ero-cook, doing your training? None of these punk will be strong enough for me, so you'll have to do," Zoro yelled into the ring.

Sanji turned around and suddenly went "ero-cook" mode.

"Sorry Sanji, I'm not into guys," Zoro began saying, until he saw Sanji begin prancing up to Tashigi.

"O, fair lady, allow me to distract you for a mere moment as I tell you of my love—ow, you shitty marimo, what the hell are you doing?"

Zoro raised his fist again in a threatening manner. "Are we going to fight or not? Stop flirting with her."

Sanji sighed. "I apologize for allowing you to witness such a vulgar display, madam. Please wait just a moment as I punish this guy," he cooed to Tashigi.

Zoro climbed into the ring with a growl. He was not very comfortable with the way Sanji was speaking to Tashigi—he never really was happy with Sanji's womanizing ways, but now was a good time to get all that venting out.

"On the left side of the ring we have the latest victor, Sanji! On the right we have…er…" the commentator paused.

Zoro grinned ferally. "Roronoa Zoro. Remember that."

The commentator shrunk back and continued meekly. "Y-yes, here we have Roronoa Zoro. One…two…three…begin!"

Sanji immediately launched into an attack aimed at Zoro's legs, looking to topple the swordsman. He jumped and drew one sword, displeased at how unbalanced and unwieldy it felt in his hands. He really needed to find a better sword.

"Only one sword? I'll have to make you draw the rest, then," Sanji sneered, legs flying as he balanced on one turning hand.

Zoro grimaced and drew another sword. "You keep doing that and I'll have to finish you before I have my fun," Zoro growled. "Time to go on the offensive." He moved swiftly around the kicking legs and managed to clip a few of the golden strands from Sanji's hair.

"Asshole, I like my haircut right now. Don't ruin it," Sanji scolded, just barely managing to brush against Zoro's chest before the marimo moved out of the way.

"Stop worrying about your fashion while you're fighting, you dartboard!"

"God, these idiots are fighting again." Nami strolled up to the ring, and Sanji beamed at her.

"Nami-swaaa—" His cry was cut short as Zoro tripped him and pushed him to the ground, one katana at his throat while straddling the cook.

"I win," he said with a grin.

"Uh, sir, you don't get the experience points unless you actually physically defeat him," the commentator said.

"But if I use my swords, I'll kill him," Zoro protested. "He might be a miserable bastard, but I'm not going to do that."

Nami laughed airly. "Don't worry, if you die in The World then you restart at your last save point. You DID save, didn't you, Sanji-kun?"

Sanji cried out "Hai, Nami-swan!" Before he could continue, Zoro sighed and struck the chef on the temple with the hilt of his blade. Sanji wavered for a moment, saying something along the lines of "Dirty trick, you marimo bastard" before falling, unconscious and disappearing with a 'poof.'

"Winner—Roronoa Zoro!"

Zoro grinned as he felt light pouring from his body and he leveled up. He could get used to this.

"What were you saying about save points, Nami?" Zoro said as he stood.

"You need to save, or else you'll lose all your data. There's a save point over there," she said, pointing at the fountain.

Zoro walked up to the fountain and looked at it in confusion. "What do I do…uh…Save?"

The words "Save complete!" formed in front of his face before falling into the churning water. He went back to the ring with a grin—this was far more fun than just slaughtering little manju.


	3. Dattebayo!

A/N: Guest appearance warning. Maybe a bit OOC for the guest, but…after this chapter he's gone, so it's not that important.

---

Zoro and Tashigi returned to the dojo at the end of the day, both weary but triumphant. Halfway through one of his battles, Zoro saw the words "Skill mastered: Oni Giri" flash in front of his face. The poor sot he'd been facing never saw it coming before his HP was drained. What Zoro did not like was the fact that his character's stamina was so low—he'd have to work hard to fix that.

Zoro mulled over the fights he had seen Tashigi participate in. She had improved dramatically since their last meeting, and he was pleasantly surprised—she'd be great to train with later in the game. _What am I thinking? She's the enemy! I'm never going to see her in this game after this!_ he thought to himself.

They arrived at the dojo to find the students bowing to Koshiro before taking their leave. Koshiro waved to them and asked, "Have you accomplished your task?"

"Hai!" They said together.

"Good! As I'm sure you have noticed, things are getting a little easier. There are two more things I would like to point out before sending you to your next teacher. First…" He held up one finger. "Your classes. Eventually, you will be given the chance to change your class again upon reaching level forty—and then another time upon reaching level 80. Beyond that, I cannot say, for they only reveal it to those who care to go that far. I've heard rumors that the administrators specialize new classes specifically for those who can make it that far. Secondly…" Two fingers were held up. "Look at your swords and equipment. You will encounter merchants who sell different items and find ways to obtain different weapons. It is entirely possible, if you own named swords, to regain what you hold in real life. You still have Wado Ichimonji, I trust?" he asked Zoro. When Zoro nodded, he smiled in relief. "I am glad. Kuina would have been furious if you lost her sword. There is a Wado Ichimonji in this game, and many other famous swords. You will have to work hard to find them."

"Right now I have…a 'Novice Blade,'" Tashigi said. "It even sounds depressing. I miss Shigure right now."

Koshiro smiled. "Now go. You say that you are also of the ninja class? The teacher is not hard to find, but is rather eccentric. I'd suggest looking to the northern end of the city. There's a man who lives above a ramen shop who should be able to help you. Now go on, you might be able to catch him if you leave now." As they turned to leave, he spoke again. "And Zoro…don't forget to keep practicing. It has only been a short time since we have met, miss, but please try to keep him in line."

The last thing Zoro saw of his sensei before the door was closed was that serene, smiling face and the eyes that beamed behind those round glasses.

---

They found the ramen shop without much trouble (Tashigi had taken the lead at once, so they didn't get lost) and Tashigi entered first, calling out, "Excuse me? I heard that the ninja teacher resided here…"

The counter was sparkling clean and devoid of any customers. The pots behind the counter steamed and released the tantalizing smell of beef broth, but there was no cook in sight. A small sign that read "Ichiraku Ramen Bar" was posted above the door.

Zoro placed a hand on the hilt of one sword, drawing an inch of steel carefully. "There's someone here," he said, looking around surreptitiously. "Be on your guard."

They listened in silence, save for the hissing of the fire as a droplet of water fell from the pots into the flame. Zoro closed his eyes, listening, thinking back to what he had learned at Alabasta.

_Listen to the breath of everything,_ he thought. _Everything is accounted for, save…_

He whipped around and drew his sword, placing it against the edge of the throat of the man that definitely hadn't been standing there when they had entered the room. He wore a black jumpsuit with orange trimming, and had packs on his legs from which shuriken stuck out haphazardly. He wore a black headband with a forehead protector on it, and grinned cheekily under a mop of blonde and graying hair.

"Ahahaha, caught me, did you? You're pretty good, boy, pretty good…" the man muttered, walking behind the counter and putting on an apron. "So, what'll it be? The pork ramen is my specialty, but the miso isn't too bad, either. Perhaps you'll give your girlfriend the special Diet Ramen? All-natural ingredients, and so good that you can almost taste it."

"We're not together," Zoro and Tashigi said at once.

"Hmph, you wish you had a boyfriend like me," Zoro said, sticking his tongue out at her. She rolled her eyes in response.

"Are you the ninja teacher?" Tashigi asked, adjusting her glasses. "We were referred here by Koshiro-sensei."

"Ah, Koshiro! That old dog, he always insists he plays for his students but I know he really likes being in The World. So, you must be secondary class ninjas if you're coming here after Koshiro. You can call me Uzumaki-sensei. Or no, Uzumaki-sama! Yeah, that has a nice ring to it…" Uzumaki rambled on incoherently.

"So, what's our lesson, then?" Zoro interrupted his daydreaming. The man snapped out of his reverie and coughed.

"Erhem! Well, I'll have you know that where I come from, I've been a ninja for all of my fifty-seven years of life. I used to be a hot-shot when I was young, too—with dreams of becoming Hokage and all that. But that was a long time ago…" he donned the dreamy expression again.

Zoro cleared his throat.

"Impatient, are you? Alright! First lesson! Dynamic! You and your lady friend here must get this from me." He jingled a tiny bell and hung it from his waist. "You can use whatever methods you want, but whoever doesn't get the bell doesn't get referred to the next step. Capiche?"

Zoro and Tashigi glared at one another and shrugged.

"If this is supposed to pit us against each other, don't bother. It's already been done," Tashigi groaned. "Shall we?"

They both drew their swords, and Uzumaki quickly put up his hands. "Wait! Don't do it in here, dolts, you'll destroy my precious ramen shop! Just because you can't actually _eat_ it doesn't mean it's not valuable." He led them through a back door, which led to a spacious yard filled with rocks, trees, and even a pool of water. "This is my personal training space. It cost a mountain of gold to convince those administrators that the players wouldn't miss the museum that used to stand here. So, shall we begin?" He put his hands together and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Zoro and Tashigi stood back to back, listening carefully.

"There. Three o'clock."

"I see him too. He's not very good at hiding himself, is he?"

"It's probably the orange on his jumpsuit that does it. Plus, he's wearing a bell."

"Gives him away pretty badly."

"I can hear you, you brats!" Uzumaki said shrilly before clapping a hand over his mouth. "Oh, damn."

It took a minute for Zoro and Tashigi to wrestle him to the ground, even with the group of doppelgangers he had conjured up to distract them. After tussling on the ground, Tashigi held up the bell triumphantly while Zoro dispatched the doppelgangers with one of his swords.

"Ha…ha…it was a glorious and trying battle, but your teamwork came out on top in the end…" Uzumaki gasped, clutching a stitch in his side. "I really have to start laying off that pork ramen, the sodium is killing me."

"So, do I pass?" Tashigi asked, jingling the bell with a grin.

"Yeah, yeah. You both pass. Congratulations," Uzumaki said grudgingly. "Wait. No, no! You haven't learned the essence of _being_ a ninja. You must be sneaky and stealthy, and able to walk through a forest full of crunchy leaves underfoot without disturbing anyone who happens to be there. Um…you must be like smoke!"

"Smoke, huh," Tashigi said, looking nostalgic. "I think I know a bit about that."

"Isn't smoke what gives the fire away, though?" Zoro quipped. "I would rather not be the one to set off the alarms."

"Fine, you impertinent—okay. One more task. Since all you guys did was mob me, I'll need you to learn what makes a ninja so special in the game. Do you remember the results of you screening test?" he asked.

Tashigi nodded. "Moderate Physical and Intelligence levels, but nothing exceptional or detrimental in either."

"Er, a high Physical but…low Intelligence…" Zoro muttered, looking unusually engrossed in the wall.

Uzumaki snorted. "A higher Physical basically means you have elevated levels of stats needed for melee fighting—more Hit Points, higher Attack and Defense. More Intelligence points to magic, and you'll have more Special Points for using spells, higher Intelligence for potency, higher Resistance to spells. There are other statistics such as Agility, Dexterity, Luck, and the newly installed Amiability. Those depend on the class you choose." He rubbed his forehead protector, thinking. "Ninjas generally have higher Agility, Dexterity, and Luck, but lose out on Amiability. I want you to utilize that advantage while coping with the loss in Amiability by sneaking into the King's palace and stealing the Sacred Lotus without getting caught. You have until tomorrow morning," he said with a grin.

"Where is this place?" Tashigi asked in alarm. It was already nightfall, so they didn't have much time left.

"It's in the center of the city, near the fighting ring. You'll know it when you see it. Now go, you don't have much time," Uzumaki urged. "Time passes far more quickly in The World than in real life. Even if you've been through an entire day of the game, it hasn't been more than an hour or so since you actually started the game. However, when administrators or players schedule events, they use real time."

"Yeah, because of your stupid time limit, we have even less time," Zoro said in annoyance, moving out the door. "C'mon, let's get that thing."

They left the ramen shop quickly and were astonished to feel how quietly they slipped out of the restaurant and onto the rooftops. Indeed, their feet hardly make any sound and all, and the sound of their clothing was barely noticeable—and that was when they were running helter skelter.

They saw the sloping roof of the largest building in the city looming in the center of town, and noticed the many guards stationed at regular intervals to block every entrance to the city. They were all NPCs, but they were armed with long-range as well as close-range weapons that warned off anyone tempted to try and enter the palace.

Zoro and Tashigi stopped short on the roof of a hustling bar, where they would be less likely to be heard above the racket of its occupants.

"So how are we going to go about doing this?" Tashigi asked, adjusting her boots nervously. "I think we should make sure that nothing will make any noise, like our swords." She tied the hilt of her blade across her back, fastening it until there was no chance of it becoming cumbersome.

Zoro looked down at his three swords with a frown. "I might be able to handle two swords that way, but the third one doesn't have anywhere to go."

"Couldn't you just use one, like a normal person?"

"It's who I am, woman. Don't question my ways until you can beat me."

"Why, you…!"

"Nevermind. Don't worry, I won't let them get in the way. You don't suppose we could reason with them, do you?"

"I think that 'low Amiability' indicates that the NPCs won't find us to be very friendly."

"Damn."

Zoro looked down at the drinking players in the bar and had an idea. "You don't suppose we could start a little diversion, do you? Bribe some of these players to stumble drunkenly around one part of the building and sneak in the other way."

"That is so blatantly obvious that I doubt they'll fall for it. Let's do it," Tashigi said. "What will we bribe them with, though?"

"Leave it to me."

Zoro shimmied down a pipe and approached a particularly idiotic looking drinker with a group of toadies hanging around him.

"Hey, you! Yeah, you, the idiot with the ugly expression on his face. No, that's just your face. I bet you couldn't drink a jug of The World's whiskey faster than I could," Zoro said derisively.

"Idiot! Wasn't the point not to draw attention to ourselves?" Tashigi hissed from the roof. Zoro ignored her as the man approached him.

"What's a noob like you doing in a place like this? I didn't know you'd have enough gold to afford even the peanuts on the counter. I think you need to learn your place, you little—" The man didn't have time to finish as Zoro smashed his face in with his elbow.

"Hey, he hit the boss!"

"Let's get him."

Zoro grinned up at Tashigi as he began to run. "I'll lead these fellows in the right direction. I'll meet you on the southern side, okay?" He ran off before she could say another word.

"Wait…won't he get hopelessly lost?" Tashigi thought in despair. "Well, might as well start on my way."

---

Half an hour later, Tashigi was tired of waiting for the green-haired man to meet her. The NPC guards were all absent, but so was Zoro.

"I knew he'd get lost. I just KNEW IT," she grumbled as she began to climb through the window she had managed to pry open. She was pleased to find that she hadn't tripped or stumbled ever since changing her class.

"Miss me much?" Tashigi jumped as Zoro jumped through the window after her. "Those idiots kept wandering off. I had to knock out two more of them just to get their attention." He dusted off his pants and looked around. "So where do we start?"

"You mean, you didn't get lost?" Tashigi gasped.

"Hey! That's not funny. This whole Dexterity stat thing seems to be kind of convenient, though," Zoro said. "Usually when I'm going somewhere the destination moves around, but this time it didn't give me any trouble."

Tashigi decided it wasn't worth explaining who it was that was doing the moving. "What do you think this Sacred Lotus thing is?" she asked as they snuck through the empty halls of the palace. They turned a corner, and Zoro pointed.

"Probably that thing right there."

She looked up and saw a beautifully carved ruby lotus that sat on a pedestal in the middle of the room.

"It can't possibly be that simple," she said in disbelief. "But the game graphics are marvelous…look how it shines in the light!"

"They probably didn't expect any of the players to know that it was here," Zoro said as he picked up the flower. "Requesting information: 'Sacred Lotus.'" Immediately, words popped up in front of his face, and they read them carefully.

"Sacred Lotus. Property of the King of the City of Lotus. Not to be confused with the Sacred Lily of the City of Lily. An ancient heirloom that has little practical purpose, but can be sold for over three hundred thousand gold on the black market. Possession of it equates to theft." Suddenly, the room blazed with light as the words disappeared and were replaced with a blaring clanging noise.

"Is that the alarm?"

"Probably. Let's go."

They stole out of the room and jumped through the window from which they came. They arrived back at Ichiraku Ramen without much incidence.

Uzumaki looked up from a large bowl of steaming ramen he was stuffing down his face. "Oh, crap. You actually got it?" he mumbled through a mouthful of noodles and onion.

"What, you didn't expect us to get it?" Tashigi asked incredulously.

"Well…no," he admitted. "I've never had a student who passed the bell test before, so I just made the test up on the spot. No one followed you, did they?"

"Nah, none of the NPCs were fast enough to follow us," Zoro said, pulling the Lotus from a pouch at his side. "Here you go."

Uzumaki gazed at the gem before stammering, "I think you've learned everything you need to know from me. Congratulations, I give you the authorization to continue as secondary class ninjas." He turned back to his bowl of ramen. "You can do whatever you want with your prize. I certainly don't need to be found in possession of the King's heirloom. The administrators will probably swoop down on anyone caught trying to sell it in the open markets." He looked around carefully and whispered to them, "The City of Sakura is known for its black market. If you travel there, you can make a pretty penny off of that." He cleared his throat and continued in a grandiose voice, "Now go, young ninjas, and make your sensei proud!" He ate, ignoring them as though they had already left.

"…right," Zoro said, and left with a gaping Tashigi in tow.

Outside, Zoro turned to Tashigi and gave a short half-wave, half-salute.

"I'm off to find my crew. Bye, then," he said, turning to leave. He stopped when he didn't hear her own footsteps walking in another direction. "Aren't you going to go find your own friends?"

She blushed a deep red color. "O-of course! Right away!" She began to march off resolutely, and peeked over her shoulder to see if he had left. She tripped and fell when she saw him looking at her incredulously. "What are you looking at? Go away!"

"You're here alone, aren't you?" Zoro stated, more as a matter of fact than as a question.

"I don't know what makes you think that," she said nervously, plucking at her collar.

"You are the worst liar ever. You'd make a terrible pirate. You should have Usopp teach you a thing or two. C'mon," he said, picking her up by the arm. "Let's go."

"Where are you taking me, Roronoa?" she said in alarm, trying to pull away.

"Back to Luffy. You can stay with us until you decide to log off," he said, not looking her in the eye. She saw a slight tinge of red staining his dark skin, and she smiled.

"Alright, but only for a little bit! I still remember that you're a pirate, Roronoa…Zoro."

("'Roronoa Zoro' has gained (1) Amiability Point)


	4. Logia

A/N: Writing this chapter was pretty fun.

---

Zoro and Tashigi arrived at the fountain and found everyone in the crew, except for Sanji and Luffy, already gathered there.

"I wonder where those two idiots are," Nami said, pacing back and forth beside the fountain. She saw Zoro arrive with Tashigi in tow and grinned. "Oh? Did Zoro find a new friend?" She saw Tashigi's face and gasped. "Isn't she a Marine?"

"Er, in The World I'm just another player, right?" Tashigi asked nervously as she scooted away from Robin. Robin simply smiled in amusement.

Any further conversation was interrupted as a badly beaten body materialized next to the fountain.

"Nami…san…" it groaned, reaching into one pocket for a bottle of potion. The red liquid was consumed quickly, and Sanji looked a bit more recognizable after regaining a few HP.

"What happened, Sanji?" Usopp asked in alarm.

Nami examined the hand print that was clearly outlined on Sanji's cheek and frowned in displeasure. "Requesting stat history, character name 'Sanji.'"

"5:30 'Sanji' interacts with female player and gains (1) Amiability point. 5:37 'Sanji' loses (6) Amiability points after flirting with five female players. 5:45 'Sanji' is defeated by previous female players. 5:46 Sanji consumes Health Potion and gains 100 HP."

"Sanji-kun, have you been training or flirting?" Nami asked, her voice both sweet and dangerous.

"W-well I had already finished my training with my teachers, Nami-san, and…" Sanji's voice trailed off, and he was saved when they heard a voice yelling in the distance.

"RUN!"

They turned to see Luffy racing towards them with a haunch of meat between his teeth while running away from another figure in the distance.

"Don't bring whoever's chasing you over here, idiot, or we'll get—oh, crap, lets run," Zoro said, turning to run with Luffy. "You coming?"

Tashigi nodded and ran alongside him, followed by the rest of the crew.

"So, uh, who are we running from?" Usopp gasped as they ran through the city.

"That guy from Roguetown! The smoky guy!" Luffy panted, cutting a corner sharply.

Tashigi nearly stumbled at the news. "Do you mean to say that Smoker-san is here too? Smoker-san!" she cried jubilantly, slowing down.

Zoro tugged her by the arm and forced her to keep running. "Do you think your precious Commodore will like that you were fraternizing with pirates? Keep running—you can meet up with him after we escape."

Tashigi sighed, but continued to run. She supposed that she could always ask her superior why he was playing, too.

Suddenly, they heard Luffy say, "Oooh, Ace!" They looked up and saw the Fire Fist floating along lazily on a stream of fire.

"Why is one of Whitebeard's commanders playing The World?" Tashigi exclaimed in shock. She had heard accounts of this man's frivolous nature, but to see one of the most wanted men in the world casually gaming was...absurd.

Ace grinned, saying, "C'mon Luffy, I was having a great time seeing you guys run around being chased by that Commodore. Isn't that his pretty little assistant standing next to your first mate?"

They stopped running, and Tashigi felt mortified as they all stared at her.

"Yep."

"That's her."

"Mellorine!"

"Why isn't she with that other guy?"

"MUGIWARA!"

The last word was roared by Smoker, who had finally caught up to them.

"So, we've got all the lawbreakers in one place—wait. Tashigi?" His voice wavered for a second. "What in The World are you doing here?"

She laughed nervously. "Well, you see, since this is The World and we can't exactly touch them since they're not real—"

Smoker sighed deeply. "Still, why are you playing with them?"

"Why are _you_ playing? Don't you Marine officers have anything better to do? No wonder the world's going to the dogs," Zoro sneered.

Smoker looked at him in rage. "You…!" Suddenly, he caught sight of Ace behind Luffy, who waved at him cheerfully.

"Hey there, _Commodore,_" Ace called, turning the title into an insult. "It's a shame your title doesn't mean anything here, isn't it?" He smirked. "I bet you really want to arrest all these nasty little pirates crawling in front of you, huh?"

An impressive tic was beginning to form on Smoker's forehead, and he restrained himself with great difficulty. He grabbed the jutte fastened to his back and drew it, slapping it against his hand menacingly.

"Ah, Commodore-san, perhaps we could all get along? Arguing like this will get us nowhere, unless you wish to fight?" Robin suggested, holding her arms up to the ready.

Luffy jumped forward happily, eager to test out his new fighting skills. "Get ready! Gomu gomu no piston!" His arm glowed as it stretched and punched Smoker square in the jaw, knocking him heavily into a wall.

"'Smoker' has lost (50) HP."

Luffy gaped. "I didn't expect to actually…hit him…" he said, jaw open in disbelief.

"Smoker-san! Why didn't you dodge, or turn into smoke?" Tashigi cried frantically, running over to check on him. Smoker rubbed his face angrily, standing back up and glaring at Luffy silently. He held his jutte at the ready and charged, dealing Luffy a heavy blow across the ribs. Luffy flinched from the attack, expecting to be caught in a cloud of smoke, and was caught by surprise.

Ace chuckled. "You haven't reached level 25 yet, have you, Smoker-chan?" Ace began laughing hysterically. "Man, this is rich! For you to have eaten a Logia Fruit and not be able to use it, that's great!"

Smoker glared at the laughing Whitebeard Pirate. "You can't use yours indefinitely either, brat," he spat out, blocking Luffy's "Gomu gomu no piston!"

Ace sighed. "Yeah, every time we use our Devil Fruit abilities we lose SP. But that's why it's nice to have a high level. I happen to be level 32. What about you, Smoky-chan?"

"Don't call me that, you insolent pirate. I'm…" Smoker mumbled something, striking at Luffy only to be blocked. He growled.

"What's going on?" Nami asked, looking totally lost for once. She turned to Ace for further explanation.

"Well, you see," Ace began, spreading his arms in a flamboyant manner. "You were asked if you had Devil Fruit abilities at the start of the game, right? They don't really need to know if you have them, because the headgear can tell what kind of ability you have—it's amazing technology. It's just to see if you want to use it in the game. Different Devil Fruit types have different requirements for use. Zoan and Paramecia types can potentially use their abilities at the very beginning of the game, but they can only use their special techniques as they level up." He sniggered as Luffy punched Smoker again with a satisfying _thud_. "Unfortunately, the makers of the game decided that Logia type users would have an unfair advantage, since the only other characters who would be able to use elemental attacks would be mages, and it takes a looong time for mages to be as strong as a Logia. Therefore…" He flicked a finger of flame at Smoker and singed the other man's bare chest, leaving a sizzling 'A' where it landed. ("'Smoker' has lost (1) HP") "We can't even begin to use our abilities until level 25. I'm surprised this guy hasn't already reached that level, being a _Commodore_ and all."

"Could it be…" Usopp began.

"…that you suck at videogames?" Zoro finished in delight. Finally, someone who had the same plight as him! Now, if Smoker was directionally challenged, they could be best friends. Oh, if only the Commodore wasn't a Marine.

"Where are you playing from, Smoker-san? I thought you were at an officers' meeting with Hina," Tashigi said in confusion. "There's a GLGS in the recreational room on the ship, but…"

"Hina amused," a voice drifted down to them from a nearby rooftop. "Hina did not think that Smoker was such a low level. Didn't you just reach level ten a little while ago?" Black Cage Hina hopped down from the rooftop,

They all turned to stare at the rapidly reddening Marine.

Smoker smacked his forehead. "Way to go, Hina," he growled at her, taking a swig from a flask at his side. ("'Smoker' has gained (30) HP") "Just because you're at level 29 doesn't mean a thing."

Tashigi smothered a giggle behind one hand. "It's okay, Smoker-san. I'm only level…sixteen," she tittered.

"Awe, c'mon guys, it's not nice to laugh at him. We're newbies, too," Usopp said, keeping a straight face. Suddenly, he burst out laughing. "Even though we just started an hour ago and can still kick his ass."

"I'll kill you!" Usopp fell under the force behind the jutte. ("'Usopp' has lost (100) HP")

Ace's legs burst into flame, and he rose into the air. "I'll see you later, Luffy. Ja ne, Smoky-chan!" he cried as he departed.

Luffy turned and began to walk away. "Come on, you guys."

"Wait, Mugiwara! Do you think I'll just let you walk away?" Smoker shouted, standing at the ready with his jutte poised for a strike.

Luffy turned around, placing a hand on his straw hat. "It's not a fair fight yet. We'll fight again when we're of similar levels. Come find me another time," he said, turning away without another word. The rest of the crew followed, although Zoro hesitated.

Zoro looked at Tashigi, who stood behind Smoker with a look of surprise on her face at Luffy's words. She met his eye and he held her gaze for a moment.

He winked.

She blushed.

---

"Luffy, you were so cool back there!" Chopper cried, stars shining in his eyes.

"You were almost as cool as the great Captain Usopp!" Usopp said, striking a pose.

Luffy turned to them, looking serious under the shade of his hood. Suddenly, he broke out into a wide grin as his face began to sparkle. "Do you really think so?" he laughed, holding his belly.

"You marimo! Don't think I didn't see what you did to that lovely lady back there!" Sanji snarled, wrestling with Zoro. Zoro growled right back at the cook, holding his own with the blond.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about, ero-cook!" Zoro said, fighting the blood that threatened to rise to his cheeks—because obviously, real men don't blush—and pushed the other man off of him.

"You WINKED at her, you…you…" Sanji gasped, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Nami looked in interest, smelling the potential for blackmail, but Luffy interrupted the scene by asking her, "Where are we going next, Nami?"

Nami called up her map. "Let's see…we're in the City of Lotus now…the nearest town is pretty far, although there's a small village that we can stop at on the way. Shall we save and call it a day? I don't even know what time it is, come to think of it."

"I'll check." Zoro pulled off his headset, blinking slightly as he adjusted to the room's light. He walked over to the intercom and called into it. "Oi, Franky? You all right out there?"

Franky's voice crackled over the speaker. "Yeah, it's all good out here bro. We're sailing on steady and straight. Why?"

"Er, what time is it?"

Franky laughed. "Actually, it's been a couple of hours since you guys started playing. It's sunset right now. I've never seen this ship so peaceful for such a long stretch of time. Are you guys finished?"

"Yep. We'll be out in a bit."

Zoro sat back down and found that his crew members were chuckling to themselves. He walked past Usopp, who started sweating profusely.

"Damn, what did they do this time…" Zoro muttered, placing the headset back on his eyes. He looked around at the others in the game and saw that they were pointedly looking in other directions. "What did you guys do, you…oh." He looked down and saw that his clothes were on the floor, and they had procured paint from somewhere—most likely Usopp, who _would_ find something like that in a video game—and painted his body green, with obscene messages in black that were probably courtesy of the cook.

Zoro smiled pleasantly at them, and they seemed to relax.

"I'm going to kill you all right about now, you know," he said, still smiling as he drew his swords. They were fast, but not fast enough to escape a ninja.

"'Monkey D. Luffy' has been defeated. 'Nami' has been defeated. 'Tony Tony Chopper' has been defeated. 'Usopp' has been defeated. 'Sanji' has been defeated.'" Zoro waited until Sanji was reborn and found him by the fountain. "'Sanji' has been defeated."

"'Roronoa Zoro' has leveled up!"

Zoro turned around, slightly mollified, and saw Robin facing him with her arms raised.

"Argh!"

"'Roronoa Zoro' has been defeated."

"'Nico Robin' has leveled up!"

"Fufufu…leveling up this way is way too easy."

---

Zoro woke up the next morning hanging by his feet from the crow's nest.

"How's the view from up there, Zoro?" Luffy called as Usopp and Chopper stuck their tongues out at him.

"I'll kill you! You won't get a chance to be reborn in this world!" Zoro yelled, swinging back and forth in the wind. Suddenly, he felt a chilly wind go by and he shivered. He was still wearing his green boxers that he had slept it.

"Hey Zoro," Nami called up sweetly, taking out her Perfect Clima Tact. "Cool ball…heat ball…"

"Oh no, you witch—"

"Today's forecast calls for rain! Judging by the stabilized climate zone, the next island will be a winter island, so that means snow. Remember to stay bundled up, folks!" She smiled ominously at Zoro. "Have fun."

---

"You are not to speak of The World or my…connection to it to anyone. Understood?"

"Hai, Smoker-san."

"Hina thinks it's cute."

_Geru geru…geru geru…_ "Moshi moshi?"

"Heeey Smoky-chan, guess who?"


	5. Shitty days and tundra wolves

A/N: Just wanted to thank Santoryuu-Zoro for reviewing on all my stories and updates. It's always very encouraging 3

---

Smoker was officially having a Shitty Day.

This was a step above the standard Bad Day, and even worse than the I Think I'll Have a Drink or Ten Day.

It had all started when Hina had called him to her ship for what she called a 'confidential meeting, only Hina and Smoker.' He had come, of course, because he trusted the blasted woman. When she held out the game controller and headset, he should have trusted the itching in his scars that indicated trouble. Still, he had continued doing this foolish business because she insisted, and found himself eventually choosing a class as a Brawler and Mage. He rationalized the two opposing classes because he was strong, but still a Logia-user, right? So it should have bloody well balanced out.

Instead, he found his Logia abilities suppressed—they had had to pause the game when his actual body burst into smoke in his frustration—and a secondary class that was next to useless at such a low level. Plus, since his two classes clashed with each other, his stats were mediocre.

"If you train hard enough, you could be reincarnated at level 40 as a much stronger class," Hina has suggested as Smoker wrestled with a manju monster. She found him again later at his last save point after the manju had hopped away virtually unscathed.

As if that wasn't bad enough, he had the misfortune of seeing that moronic Mugiwara kid—and of course, he had to chase him. Even if he didn't know what he would do with the kid. Maybe he'd frame him for stealing or something. Yeah, that would show that damned pirate.

Inside, a tiny voice was telling him not to be petty.

Of course, being embarrassed like that in front of one of his men—well, Tashigi wasn't really a man, but she was still under his wing—and being burned by that Ace brat was even worse. He still had a long way to go before he could strangle any of them with his smoke.

At this point, it was a Really Bad Day. The point between a normal Bad Day and a Drinking Day.

It became a Drinking Day when he signed out of the game and found that the 'A' that Ace had burned onto his chest. Was. Still. There.

He tried turning into smoke, but when he rematerialized it. Was. Still. There.

Hina had had a hard time keeping him from destroying her GLGS and going out to throttle Ace right then and there. Mostly because she was laughing.

Smoker had grabbed the box that the game had come in, intending to sue the company, but found that its disclaimer protected it.

_A__ny injuries sustained shall not be the liability of the GLGS __Company._

Damn.

He swore never to play again.

---

"Smoker-kun, I believe it's time for us to have a confidential meeting. Smoker and Hina only."

Smoker stared at the smirking Den Den Mushi as though he wanted to squash it under a cloud of smoky fist.

"…Okay."

---

When did it turn into a Shitty Day? Right when word got about to the higher authorities about his 'extracurricular activities.' While other Marines were out cavorting with pirates and being slimeballs, they just _had_ to pick on him for playing a stupid videogame.

"Commodore Smoker, it has come to my attention that you have recently taken up The World as a means of entertainment." Aokiji's voice was soft over the Den Den Mushi connection.

"And your point is?" Smoker replied stubbornly, without a trace of formality for the Admiral.

"Meet me at the City of Rose tomorrow afternoon at three o'clock? You can come with Hina, too, if you need help getting there. I heard from Garp that you're still at a really low level, and that you can't even use your Logia powers yet. I'm the—"

_Clang_. The sound of a Den Den Mushi being forcibly hung up.

"Hello? Hello…sigh…"

"TASHIGI! GET IN HERE!"

"Yes, Smoker-san? Do you need a cup of coffee? The climate is rather cold," Tashigi said as she rushed in, groping on her jacket for her glasses. She stood facing a tall plant in the corner.

"Put your glasses on, woman, and come here. Why the hell…" Smoker growled, biting through a cigar viciously, "…does Vice-Admiral Garp know that I play The World? Played. Past tense."

"I don't know, sir. I most certainly did not say anything."

"Well, find out why, then!"

---

"Hey, Ojiichan, this is pretty cool!" Luffy squealed. They had entered another quiet period on their adventure, and pulled out the GLGS to pass the time. Luffy had happened to see Garp sleeping in the tiny village they passed through, and had convinced the old man to teach him a few tricks.

"Alright Luffy, this is how you do it! First, you…zzzz…" Garp stood, mid-punch, with a small bubble beginning to form from his nose as he nodded off.

"Wha…zzz…." Luffy joined him.

_Pop_.

"THIS IS HOW YOU DO THE 'FIST OF LOVE'!"

"Ow! Ojiichan, stop hitting me~!"

Zoro watched them horsing around and laughed. Suddenly, a winged envelope popped over his head, and he drew his sword in alarm.

"What the hell is that?" he said, trying to slash it in midair.

"That looks like a PM. A private message. Just grab it with your hand and it should open up," Nami said, looking up from the bag of jewels she had stolen from a passing group of unsuspecting players.

Zoro complied, and words began to spill from the envelope.

"_Roronoa Zoro! Don't think I've forgotten about the humiliation you caused Commodore Smoker and me with your antics from the other day! Meet me at the City of Rose today, in front of the katana shop, at three o'clock! –Tashigi"_

Zoro watched the letters disappear in amusement. "Hey Nami, what's the next city we're stopping at?"

She pulled out her map, perusing it carefully. "It looks like the next city is the City of Rose, not far from here. It's fairly well-known for its swordsmen, apparently." She looked at the map carefully. "Requesting information: City of Rose. They also have an especially famous katana shop. Why?"

He grinned. "Let's go there. I have a good feeling about that place."

"Does Zoro-kun have a daaate?" Usopp sang, dancing alongside Zoro. "It's that Marine girl, isn't it!"

"'Usopp' has lost (50) HP."

"Usopp!" Chopper forced a bottle of Health Potion down the gunslinger's throat. "Zoro, you shouldn't hit him like that!"

They began on their trek to the City of Rose.

(A/N: I know it should be something like City of Rose**S**, or City of Lotus**ES**, but oh well. I like it better this way, despite its errors. I think I called the first city the City of the Lotus, but now it's this instead.)

---

The plain that they were walking through carried the scent of heather and rosemary on the wind as the wild grasses rustled in the breeze. Gradually, the plains gave way to thin forests, which grew thicker with the gnarled bodies of oak and ash trees. Zoro crunched through the leaves with relish, secretly enjoying the sound of the dried foliage as they moved through the woods.

As they stopped at a spring in a clearing to rest (Zoro had to admit that the water was marvelously rendered, with no pixilation at all, and the sound of the dripping water droplets was very convincing). They all froze when they heard something rustling nearby.

Sanji looked around, legs at the ready. Zoro released an inch of his katana, ready for an attack. Luffy cracked his knuckles as Usopp cocked his gun.

They saw a form flitting between the trees quickly—far too quickly for them to register its shape. Something jumped out from between the trees and landed squarely on Luffy's chest. It jumped away before they had a chance to stop it.

Luffy clutched his chest, where four deep gouges had been left by the monster. Chopper quickly ran over to him. "Heal!" the little reindeer cried, and a soft glow formed between his hooves. The injuries quickly mended themselves, and Luffy stood again in relief.

"Look!" Nami cried. She pointed to the edge of the clearing, where the beast was approaching them slowly. It was a large, lithe wolf with thick fur that seemed to belie the warm climate. "Requesting monster information!"

"'Tundra wolf' variation 'Alpha Male.' Habitat: Northern Aurora. Has a tendency to roam outside of its natural habitat, leaving unwary travelers at danger. Very rare. Recommended for players from levels 25 to 30." The information faded away, leaving Nami's face pale and drawn.

"We can't fight this, can we?" Usopp said nervously, keeping his gun aimed at the monster.

"Of course not!" Nami said resolutely. Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro looked at her pleadingly. "And don't give me those puppy dog eyes! I'm not going to let you get us all killed and sent to the last town just because you wanted to take this wolf on! I'm sure you could defeat hundreds of these things in the Grand Line, but we're in The World right now. There are limits to your strength here."

"Why don't we form a party, then?" Robin proposed calmly.

"I love parties!" Luffy said excitedly, clapping his hands. "Sanji! Meat!"

Robin chuckled. "No, captain-san, not that kind of party. If you form a party in this game, then there are many benefits. But I believe we should deal with the problem at hand before going into semantics. Shall we? All you have to do is say 'form party.' Then, everyone within a ten foot radius will be given the opportunity to join."

"Form party!" Luffy said clearly, and Zoro saw the words "Join 'Monkey D. Luffy's' Party?" formed in front of his face.

"Join party," they said in unison, and felt something shift in the game.

Luffy pulled a fist back, and his arm began to glow as he used a skill. "Gomu gomu no piston!" The punch landed a glancing blow on the wolf's thick fur, and it shook its head in annoyance before snapping down on the arm and shaking it ferociously. "Aaaugh! Get it off, get it off!"

"Oni giri!" Zoro swooped in while the wolf was distracted, and managed to slice through the wolf's fur.

"'Tundra wolf' has lost (5) HP."

"What, is that it? Requesting 'Tundra wolf' HP!" Zoro yelled.

"'Tundra wolf' has 1495/1500 HP."

"Kuso…" Sanji growled. "Mouton shot!"

"'Tundra wolf' has lost (4) HP."

"Heh, at least I dealt more damage," Zoro managed to smirk.

"Shut up! It still doesn't even leave that much of a dent in it!"

Robin shook her head, chanting, "Spider silk!" A gleaming web shot from between her hands, entangling the wolf and slowing it down. "Nami, I need you to use a Stop spell on it!"

Nami nodded and waved her staff. "Stop!" The wolf ceased to move, although its silvery eyes still whirled in their sockets, resting on each of them individually.

"Great, can we kill it now?" Zoro grumbled, looking grudgingly impressed. He didn't trust things like magic, even if it was useful.

"No, swordsman-san. If we try to kill it this way, we would be here all day, and the spell would wear out far more quickly than we could kill it. You must utilize team combinations by fighting alongside each other—not individually. Try it out right now, while the wolf is out of commission."

"How do we know who to team up with?" Chopper asked nervously.

"Each move is different, I suppose. That's why we have to experiment. Furthermore…" She looked at them gravely. "We cannot depend on the attacks we would use in normal life. We have not reached a high enough level to use them effectively, especially for the Devil Fruits, but it will have to suffice for now. In the future, we must learn skills that The World has to offer."

"Yosh! C'mon Zoro, let's try this!" They ran at the frozen wolf, and Zoro saw words flash briefly in front of his eyes before yelling them out with Luffy.

"Gomu gomu no sanbyaku pound cannon!" they yelled, striking at the wolf in a wave of energy and light.

"'Tundra wolf' has lost (300) HP."

Zoro stumbled, feeling unexpectedly weak. Beside him, he saw that Luffy wasn't in much better shape.

"Damn, does it use that much SP?" Zoro growled, searching in his pockets for something to replenish himself. "Excellent, found it."

"'Roronoa Zoro' has consumed (1) bottle of 'Sake' and has gained (50) SP." He tossed the bottle to Luffy, who grinned appreciatively.

"C'mon Chopper, it's our turn," Sanji said, and the little reindeer nodded in agreement.

"Armée De L'air Kokutei Roseo Shoot!"

"'Tundra wolf' has lost (275) HP."

"Shall we, navigator-san? I believe we need your help too, longnose-kun," Robin said with a smile.

"Seis fleur Thunderbolt Hissatsu!"

"'Tundra wolf' has lost (280) HP."

The wolf was beginning to struggle against its magical bonds, and Zoro knew they didn't have much time left.

"Damnit! If only I had mastered more skills!" he cursed as he performed a "Armée De L'air Power Shoot!" with Sanji.

"'Tundra wolf' has lost (350) HP."

"One more attack should do it," Robin said calmly.

"Gomu gomu no kaiten ono!" Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and Usopp yelled as Luffy twisted in the air, then propelled downwards by a well-aimed bullet from Usopp. Sanji kicked Luffy towards Zoro, who propelled Luffy towards the wolf who was just beginning to move again.

"'Tundra wolf' has been defeated."

"'Nami' obtains (100) gold."

"Damnit, Nami, share the gold for once!" Zoro growled as he took a hefty swig from his bottle of sake (to replenish SP, of course. He had tried getting buzzed and only ended up wasting his money on supplies).

Zoro almost fell to his knees in relief as he felt the familiar warmth of leveling up surround his body. As his health was restored by leveling up, he stood. Fighting with the combination attacks had consumed dangerous amounts of SP, and he knew that if he had been fighting without SP-replenishing drinks, he would have probably been killed.

"I wonder how much experience we got from that thing?" he mused out loud. "Requesting level check."

"'Roronoa Zoro' is level 20."

"Excellent!" he whooped as the others checked their own stats. They were pleased to find that they had gained a few levels from the wolf.

"Let's continue on our way, shall we?"

On their way out, Zoro saw a single talon gleaming in the grass, and surreptitiously plucked it from the wisps of vegetation hiding it before he slid it into his pocket.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has obtained (1) 'Tundra Wolf' fang."

As they walked on, they continued to ask Robin about the whole 'team' idea.

"Why is it that when only some of us defeated the monster, everyone got experience?" Chopper asked curiously. "Not that it's a bad thing!"

"Well, doctor-san," Robin began, "Each party member gains experience from the battle, regardless of whether they participate or not. It's very useful for leveling up. Furthermore, being part of a party enables each member to locate another member, so it is possible for us to split up without losing the benefits or the ability to reconnect. Lastly, the team combinations are possible, which are a great asset for times when enemies such as the wolf appear." She smiled thinly. "Of course, as the enemies grow stronger, so does their organization. I read that it is not unusual to see packs of monsters swarming in more dangerous regions, and they work similarly to how parties work."

"Y-you mean we could be facing a whole group of monsters like that?" Usopp gulped. "Using crazy team abilities like we were, and being super powerful?"

"I'd imagine that there would only be one Alpha wolf for every pack, but essentially, yes," Robin said cheerfully. "Doesn't it sound exciting?"

"Yea!" Luffy said exuberantly.

As they moved through the woods, they found themselves at the edge of the city. Zoro checked the time and saw that it was only noon.

"I guess it's time for us to go exploring on our own, huh? See you later—" he said, but was cut off when Sanji grabbed him and pulled him close.

"Eager to get away, aren't you?" Sanji hissed, looking at Zoro suspiciously. "Why don't you tell us what was in that PM of yours?"

Zoro glared at the cook. "It was a memo reminding me about how stupid you are. But I should have known that I didn't need the reminder."

They began fighting again, but were interrupted when Luffy gasped in awe and pointed to the edge of the forest.

"Look! More monsters!"

Indeed, there was a leash of fox-like animals that had emerged stealthily from the forest and that gazed at the group hungrily.

"It looks like they think we're their dinner," Sanji said, reaching reflexively in one pocket for a cigarette. He scowled when he remembered that he hadn't found any virtual smokes, and his hands fumbled back in the galley as he lit a cigarette and stuck it beneath his headgear."

Robin looked pleased at their appearance. "Requesting monster information."

"'Fox' variation 'Two-tailed.' Habitat: Forest bordering the City of Rose. Travels in packs. Common. Recommended for players level 15 to 20."

"This looks like a good time to learn skills based on The World." Robin immediately singled a fox out and crossed her arms, crying "Fire!" Her attack wrapped the fox in fire, and it growled as the fire faded at left it injured. "Is anyone going to join me?"

Nami waved her staff experimentally. "Lightning!" Lightning struck one of the foxes and it also snarled at her menacingly. "Uh, are you sure about this, Robin?"

"Trust me, navigator-san. This is the best way to grow stronger at this point."

Usopp stood back and took careful aim. "Leg shot!" The fox he aimed at fell to the ground, crippled by his attack.

Chopper shuffled a bit, unsure as to whether he should focus on his acolyte or brawler abilities. "Well, no one is hurt yet, so…" He rushed a fox. "Uppercut!"

Zoro and Sanji glared at each other, itching to fight one another rather than the monsters.

"I'll get you later," Sanji said, turning away to "Roundhouse kick!" a fox.

"Hmph." Zoro thought to himself whether it would be better to use his swordsman or ninja class skills. "Why not both?" he mused to himself. "Stealth!" His movements were unnoticed by his party members and the foxes, and he approached one easily. "This feels dishonorable…" he muttered. "Bash!" His sword came down in a rather unwieldy manner, and he frowned. "I have _got_ to learn more refined skills than this."

They trained for another hour or so, and Zoro was pleased to find out that "'Roronoa Zoro' has mastered the 'Two-handed Sword' skill."

"Can I go in, now?" he asked impatiently. He only had an hour left before he could find where he was supposed to meet Tashigi, and he wanted to have a little leeway just in case…she got lost. "I've already mastered 'Bash,' 'One-handed slash,' 'Two-handed cross,' and 'Stealth' as well as 'Poison.' I feel dirty just using my ninja skills—it's too sneaky."

Robin smiled. "I think we've all made considerable progress today. Let's go."

Zoro immediately went off by himself as soon as they passed through the enormous wooden drawbridge and entrance to the city. The style was rather foreign to him; enormous brick walls and turrets surrounded the city, and the buildings were a little too square for his liking. It reminded him vaguely of the way Kaya's house was built, back in Syrup Village. After squabbling with Sanji—who had tried to tail him—Zoro finally used his 'Stealth' skill ("What a waste of SP," he thought) and stole off.

"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to know where the katana shop is, do you?" he asked a passing NPC. The woman stared at him briefly before beginning her standardized message.

"Welcome to the City of Rose! For more information on the city's history—"

Zoro interrupted her impatiently. "Requesting coordinates: 'katana shop.'"

The woman looked at him balefully and responded, "104.5 degrees northeast. Have a nice day."

Zoro grinned. "I love messing with NPCs."


	6. Here, neko neko

Zoro finally found the katana shop after wandering around the city aimlessly and looked around. The giant clock tower in the middle of the city read 3:00 precisely, and he knew that Tashigi would be a stickler for punctuality.

"Where is that woman?" he muttered as he entered the shop. He was astounded to find that the walls were lined with rack after rack of gleaming katana, all in very good condition regardless of their make. Seeing Kuina—er, Tashigi's face in the middle of this made him wonder if he hadn't died and gone to heaven. _Since, uh, Kuina is in heaven so seeing the woman who looks like her would make me think I've gone to heaven,_ Zoro thought quickly, as though someone would question his thoughts.

"What are you thinking, to have such a weird expression?" Tashigi asked. Leave it to her to ask a question like that, that would throw him off.

"Never mind about my expression. What did you want to meet up about?" Zoro asked.

Tashigi gestured to the shop excitedly. "Look at this place! I'm sure that we could find our swords if we asked the shopkeeper. He must have records of every single sword in history, if he has such a fine collection."

"I'm flattered, miss," the shopkeeper said, approaching them. "I'm not an NPC, so you don't need to worry about all that 'Requesting this' and 'information that' business. Just talk normally. What are you folks looking for?" He looked carefully at the three swords by Zoro's side and Tashigi's own Novice Blade, and scowled. Newbies again, huh.

Tashigi smiled at him brightly. "I'm looking for a katana. Have you heard of Shigure?"

The shopkeeper looked at her in mild surprise. "Of course I have. What kind of katana expert would I be to not know any of the named blades? What do you want to know about it?"

"I want to know where I can find it. If you have if, I would be willing to purchase it."

The shopkeeper scratched his balding head. "Well, I'd sell it to you if I had it, but it's not in my possession. I once had a named sword, but someone already came long ago and snapped it up just like that." He snapped to accentuate his point. "I kind of miss Wado Ichimonji, though. That was a fine sword, very fine."

The man jumped when Zoro slammed his hands on the counter, a demonic look in his eyes.

"_Someone else is wielding that sword?"_ he hissed, eyes burning red with bloodlust and hands itching to take his sword and slash it through someone. _"I'll kill them!"_

"Calm down!" Tashigi cried, and the man quivered in fear. He'd seen a few good swordsmen pass by, but none with the killing intent that came through this man.

In the galley of the Thousand Sunny, the Strawhat Pirates shuddered and felt sorry for whatever poor fool was feeling Zoro's wrath.

"Where is it?" Zoro said, taking deep breaths in an attempt to calm himself.

The man responded nervously, "I don't know where it is now. Some man calling himself the Pirate Hunter came in a few weeks ago and bought it. He said he practiced Santoryuu, and looked like he knew how to use a sword. Say…you look a bit like him," the man mused. "Green hair, three swords. Are you cosplaying as that guy? He said he was wanted on the Grand Line for 120 million."

Tashigi smothered a laugh. "It looks like you have an admirer, Roronoa," she said.

The shopkeeper looked up in surprise. "Roronoa? As in Roronoa Zoro? Are you the real man, or is the other? I'd always thought that bigshots like you would be busier doing…well…more glorious things."

The look Zoro gave him quickly shut him up. "So his name is the Pirate Hunter?"

The shopkeeper nodded. "That was his username. I believe he said he was travelling from city to city to get stronger. All the cities in the world are part of chains—if you go down one path, you'll inevitably go to a certain line of cities. It's kind of like a Log Post. He said he was going to the City of Peony next—if you go that way, you'll find him eventually."

Zoro nodded curtly. "I have two more swords I need to know about. Sandai Kitetsu and Shuusui. Do you know where I can find them?"

The man shook his head. "Sadly, they are either already in use by other players or have disappeared in the account of some collector. I'm truly sorry. About Shigure…since this town is so near the opening fields in The World where a lot of newer players pass through, it's not common for many famous weapons to pass through. I think I remember a woman who came in one day with a hilt that might have belonged to Shigure. I can't remember her name, though. You're welcome to search my records, if you'd like. It's not often that people come in requesting such famous swords by name."

They accepted his offer, but after perusing through page after page of boring shop records they gave up. They thanked the man and left, disappointed.

"I think it's for the best."

"What?" Tashigi looked at Zoro in disbelief. "You can't be serious! How could we fight to our potential if we don't have our swords?"

Zoro shook his head. "I think that the point of The World isn't to imitate real life. If we wanted to, we could just log out and kick some Marine ass—er, I mean, train with our real swords," he corrected himself lamely when she glared at him. "But The World opens up a whole new, um, world of opportunities." He held up the ruby Sacred Lotus. "I know that Uzumaki-sensei said to sell this in the City of Sakura, but we might as well get equipped with some real items right now. Do you think anyone will buy this?"

"Well, it would have to be someone really rich and really greedy, with no scruples as to where the stone came from. Someone truly evil, to buy stolen goods," Tashigi mused, her 'I will enforce justice!' expression plain on her face.

Something clicked in Zoro's brain. "I know just the one. C'mon."

---

"You want to sell this Lotus to me? I don't know, Zoro, it seems awful risky." Despite her protests, Nami's eyes gleamed with desire. Her hands itched as she saw the masterful artistry that had gone into making the flower.

"Forty thousand gold, woman. Not a single coin less," Zoro said firmly. He knew that the witch had coffers of gold hidden in her accounts, even if she was unwilling to admit it. Every time they hunted monsters, she had confiscated all the gold. Between seven people, that was quite a lot.

Something contorted on her face, and she snapped back, "Ten thousand. You probably stole it, didn't you?"

"Says the thief. Thirty-five thousand."

"Twenty thousand."

"Thirty-three thousand. I can always wait until we go to the City of Sakura and sell it to someone else for a much higher price. Or, you could buy it now and use those haggling skills of yours to sell it to someone else for double the price. I'm offering you a deal, woman."

Nami glared at him as he held the gem up to the light, letting the facets send a rainbow of colors on the wall of the inn they had stopped at.

"…deal."

They shook hands forcefully, and she held the Sacred Lotus lovingly before putting it safely into her Inventory.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has earned (33,000) gold."

Zoro strolled outside of the inn, feeling pleased with himself. "I think we have enough money to get some good equips. Shall we go?" He was so pleased that he didn't even realize that he was offering his arm to her. Like some chivalrous gentleman…like _Sanji. _Ugh.

Tashigi reddened, and turned away. "Don't joke around like that. The shopping district is that way."

They found not only the standard NPCs selling their wares but players sprawled across benches and sitting on the cobbled street with signs advertising their wares.

"Who would want cat ears?" Zoro snorted, turning to see Tashigi hastily put the pair of ears she had been holding back on a table.

"Er, let's go find some armor, shall we?" she said, walking away in another direction. "We might want something to boost our Amiability. I found out that higher Amiability means that we can haggle more successfully with other venders and get better deals, among other things." She picked up a pair of bunny ears. "See? These boost your Amiability by 10 points."

Zoro gritted his teeth. "I. Will. Not. Wear. Bunny. Ears. Do you have an animal-ear fetish or something? Because I already think I'm sexy enough without--"

"Hmph, is this how you react to someone who's only trying to help?" Tashigi retorted angrily. "Fine. What do you propose, then? You especially need to boost your Amiability considerably, and animal parts are said to be the best bet."

"What about those?" Zoro pointed to a set of horns and a tail that were advertised together. "Those look pretty cool."

Tashigi scowled and picked it up. "'Lesser Demon Gear.' Amiability -15, Attack +10. You'd be going backwards by wearing it, you idiot."

Zoro glowered right back at her. "Fine. How about you get the cat or bunny or whatever disgustingly cute animal ears you want, and then you can haggle for our other items so we can save money. THEN I'll look for a suitably masculine Amiability booster."

Tashigi sighed, knowing that he wouldn't back down. "Alright, I'll get the cat ears. I'll give you ten gold, sir," she said to the vendor.

The vendor shook his head. "No less than twenty, miss."

"Twelve. I've got other things to buy, you know."

"Seventeen, and that's my final offer. I've got children and a wife at home."

"Fifteen."

The vendor turned away and began calling to other people. "You there! Would you be interested in a pair of cat ears? It's at the mind-bogglingly low price of seventeen gold!"

Tashigi slammed a fistful of gold on the table. "Fine. Here's your stinking seventeen gold."

As they walked away from the gloating man, she growled, "I better get good prices from these things," as she fastened them on her head. Zoro stared at her; she was acting too much like Nami for his comfort. "What?" she asked innocently, facing him. Her cat ears twitched.

"'Tashigi' has gained (10) Amiability Points."

He laughed. "Here, neko neko. Want a saucer of milk?"

Tashigi hissed at him. "Let's just find our other equips, okay?"

They went through the market carefully, watching out for rip-offs and shady deals.

"'Silver Armguards' for 1,050 gold—sold!"

"'I'll give you five hundred for those 'Eagle-eye glasses' that can, as you claim, withstand even magic and raise my Resistance."

"Eight hundred gold for these 'Ultra Stealth Boots' that ought to sell for 1000 at least? I don't think so. Eep! Take them!"

They worked their way through the market, haggling when possible and threatening when necessary. When they heard voices arguing over prices, they disregarded it as other players haggling until the voices got louder and approached them.

"I refuse to wear this thing, Aokiji."

"Please, Smoker-kun. Since all your stats are pretty much….deplorable, you need something like this to give you a general boost. Is it really that bad?"

Zoro and Tashigi whirled around, seeing two familiar figures arguing in the middle of the square.

"Smoker-san?" Tashigi asked incredulously. "You're playing again?"

Smoker froze, still locked in a grappling position with the Admiral Aokiji. In their hands was…

"A studded S&M collar? Kinky," Zoro snorted.

"Poor Smoker-san," Tashigi said sympathetically.

When Smoker was distracted, Aokiji quickly fastened the collar around Smoker's neck and muttered, "Ice Lock." His fingers turned to ice and wrapped around the collar in an impenetrable seal. "There, now you'll have a bit of an easier time," Aokiji said cheerfully.

"'Smoker' has gained (10) points in all stats."

Smoker growled half-heartedly. Things never seemed to go well when he gave in to Hina and played this idiotic game. He turned around and quickly marched off and disappeared into the crowd, followed by a smirking Aokiji.

"Did that really just happen?" Zoro asked Tashigi in disbelief.

"I'm not quite sure. I'll ask him about it later."

Finally, there was only one thing left to get. Armor and special stat boosting items had already been bought and worn, but weapons were still yet to be found.

"Weapons are supposed to be the most expensive items in The World," Tashigi said worriedly. "They're on par with items like 'Angel Wings' and 'Poseidon's Wrath.'"

Zoro snorted. "I got Sandai Kitetsu and Yubashiri back at Roguetown with hardly any money, didn't I? Trust me, we'll find something."

"What happened to Yubashiri, anyway? You said you were looking for Shuusui, not Yubashiri."

"Er, maybe we should go back to the katana shop and get some blades from there."

Tashigi nodded in agreement. "Alright, let's go."

The man greeted them again without looking too surprised. "I knew you'd be back for your blades. How much have you got?"

The counted the money they had left, including what they had earned prior to selling the Sacred Lotus. "A bit less than 20,000 gold. That should be enough, right?"

The man took out an abacus and his inventory logs. "Well, that might be enough for one B-class blade, or maybe two good C-Class blades if you haggle incessantly. I've got the lowest prices in town, so don't think you can get a better deal anywhere else." [1]

"ONE B-Class? Are you serious?" Zoro shouted. "We need FOUR katana!"

Tashigi sighed. "If only you used only one katana like a normal person, then we wouldn't be having this problem."

"Some people use two katana, you know!"

"And you're the only one I know who feels the need to use three! Why on earth do you _need_ to use THREE?!" Tashigi ran out of breath in her angry outbursts.

Zoro stared at her flushed face, with the cat ears standing straight up in agitation. Something dawned on him. "I get it. You don't like it because I can use _three_ named blades and you can only use one, right?"

"That…that's not the reason! We're on a tight budget here!" she protested.

"Sure, sure…old man, isn't there any way we could get four decent blades without having to resort to stealing with our present budget?"

The man perused his inventory carefully. "I'm afraid that I can't lower my prices anymore." He looked at the crestfallen face of Tashigi and the resolutely violent expression on Zoro. "However…how desperate are you?"

"Very freaking desperate," Zoro snapped. "Haven't you noticed?"

The man hesitated, looking around covertly. He stood and locked the door, and held his hands up. They glowed as he muttered "Silence," and the sounds of the world outside were muffled. "This spell will keep us in a bubble of noise, so no one should be able to hear unless they actively use a contradicting spell," he said, and then began to rapidly whisper, "You didn't hear anything from me. You most definitely did not hear about an underground tournament taking place that isn't going to occur in five days' time at the City of Chrysanthemum. I am not telling you that you can enter the tournament as a pair and that the winning pair will be allowed to choose whatever weapons they want from a vast arsenal provided by a generous player whose name will not be disclosed. You do not know that you need to approach Munetoshi and tell him the words that are definitely not a secret password, 'Death means victory.' Do you understand?"

They exchanged looks solemnly and nodded.

"Excellent!" The man said, too loudly, and displayed a page in his record books. "I'll sell you each one decent blade for whatever gold you have. They'll be C-class, but that's more than you could normally get with your gold, so I suggest you take it. If you enter the tournament that I did not tell you about with these blades, then they will shatter and you will most certainly…die. Look on that wall over there and choose your weapons. Santoryuu-man, I am sorry," he said, "But I can only sell you one blade. Certain monsters might drop better swords than the ones that you hold right now, so just choose one blade for now."

Tashigi examined each blade carefully. "I'll take this one. The 'Aquasword.'"

"You've got a good eye there, miss. That sword is imbued with Water, so your skills will expand accordingly if you practice with it. The first skill you'll learn with that is 'Widow's Tears.' It's a chain attack that packs a punch for relatively little SP."

Zoro looked carefully, not pleased with the balance or weight of any of the swords. Finally, he found one that might work. "The 'Blood Sakura.' I like it."

The shopkeeper blanched. "I can't sell that to you, it's—"

Zoro interrupted him. "Cursed? That's fine. I've already been through this situation once, so it's okay. You won't be responsible for my death or anything, okay?"

The man sighed. "Alright. The first skill you'll learn from that is 'Soul Drain.' It steals SP from the enemy for you to use. I'll also buy your Novice Blades from you for ten gold each, if you want."

Zoro grinned. "I like the sound of that." He turned to leave. "Coming, little lady?"

"Don't call me that. I'm coming." She turned to the shopkeeper. "Thank you for everything."

As they left, the shopkeeper huffed a small groan. "The poor fools will be eaten alive by those monsters."

They passed by the shopping district one last time on their way back to the others, and Zoro stopped short by a table laden with accessories.

"Oooh!"

"What is it?" Tashigi asked curiously. From the tone of his voice, it sounded like it was Christmastime or that he had found Wado Ichimonji.

"How much are these?" Zoro asked the girl selling them, holding something in one hand.

"Those? 'Special Edition—The World's Third Anniversary.' Boosts Amiability by (15). I haven't sold this last one and it's bugging me. You can have it for ten gold."

Zoro paid her and practically ran back to Tashigi, fiddling with his left ear. "I need to find a needle or something," he told her, clutching something in his fist.

"Why on earth do you need a needle?" she asked dubiously. "Wait…you can't be serious…"

"My ears aren't pierced in The World." He held out the three earrings that he had bought from the woman that were mirror images of the ones he wore in real life. "Boosts Amiability _and_ makes me look like a badass. I told you I'd find something."

"I didn't know wearing jewelry made you look any more masculine."

---

When Tashigi signed off and returned to her quarters, she found that Smoker had returned from his 'meeting' with Hina and had locked himself in his room. She steeled herself for the worst and knocked gently at the door. The two Marines standing at attention on either side of the door shook their heads slightly at her, as though to warn her _Don't go in! He's dangerous right now!_

"Smoker-san? Are you in?"

There was no response, but she could have sword that she heard someone growl unintelligibly.

"I'm coming in, Smoker-san," she said, taking out her key (he seemed to have forgotten that he had given her one) and entered.

She found Smoker sitting at his desk, facing the window, with his heavy jacket on and with his collar up.

"How did your, um, meeting with Captain Hina go?" she asked timidly.

Smoker turned around with a glare, and Tashigi worked to keep her face straight.

"Other Logia players seem to like leaving their marks on you, don't they?"

A ring of ice was still wrapped around his neck in the shape of a studded collar.

---

[1] Weapons and armor will be divided thusly: S-Class is the highest and D-Class is the lowest (D-Class includes things like the Novice Blade, that the player comes equipped with when they begin playing). Above S-Class…who knows?

A/N: Sorry that I keep abusing Smoker. I really don't have anything against him, but when I see a character as cool and collected (and powerful) as him, I just can't help but screw around with him.


	7. The Rules

A/N: Any characters who help Zoro (and Tashigi) on their adventures in The World will mostly be references to other manga or be significant in their own way…it's easy to visualize them that way, neh?

---

Zoro hadn't had the chance to play The World for the past couple of days. He stretched on the deck, scratching the bandages on his torso that had been left from the last battle of one hour ago. The Marines had decided, for some reason, that they were strong enough to take down the Strawhat Pirates. Not really a good idea, as it turned out, since they were currently sleeping with the fish now. Of course, some stupid Marine's bullet had ricocheted and caught him in the side, so Chopper had pumped him full of some bubbly liquid and bandaged him up.

"It's only a scratch, Chopper."

"It's not ONLY a scratch, Zoro! It nearly hit you in the stomach! Your stomach juices could be leaking and burning holes in the rest of your organs by now!"

"That sounds really disgusting, Chopper. And it didn't happen, so what's the big deal?"

"Argh!" Chopper beat his head in his hooves in frustration. "No training! Not until the bandages come off!"

Five minutes later, Chopper found Zoro lifting weights next to a pile of torn-off bandages and sedated him.

Zoro woke up several hours later, wondering what on earth had happened. "Hey Chopper, what day is it?" he slurred.

"It's been two days. Why?"

Zoro shot up. "Oh shit! I have to meet Tash—er, I mean, I promised a friend I met on The World that we'd participate in this thing…" he carried off.

Chopper nodded. "Since you'll be stationary, that's fine. You can play, as long as you don't actually start lifting real weights. OKAY?" he growled, looking awful menacing for a little reindeer.

"Okay, okay doctor," Zoro muttered on his way out. The galley was empty; no one else was playing at the moment. He grinned; he could go all out and yell or growl at those monsters without being bothered by the others.

---

"The tournament is tomorrow, so I need to train more," Zoro growled. He faced a pack of 'Desert Wolves'—strong enough for him to work up a (virtual) sweat, but not as dangerous as the 'Tundra Wolf.' He closed his eyes, trying to remember the latest skill he had just learned.

"Triple Sangria!" he cried. After the pack had been defeated, he looked at his spoils. "Hm, I could always sell the 'Desert Wolf fur.' Damn, no weapons, though," he grumbled. As he picked up the bags of gold and fur that the wolves had left behind, something caught his eye. "Oh?"

He picked up the gleaming object. It was a kunai.

"Why would 'Desert Wolves' drop kunai?" he thought in curiosity. "Requesting monster information: 'Desert Wolf' items."

"'Desert Wolf.' Drops 'Desert Wolf fur,' 'Desert Wolf claws,' and occasionally 'kunai' and 'shuriken.'"

Zoro scratched his head and picked up the small projectile. "Eh, why not. It seems to fit…right here." He pocketed the kunai in pouch on his thigh that seemed to be made for the weapon. "I guess I better practice some ninja skills, then?"

Another pack of 'Desert Wolves' spawned nearby, and Zoro grinned. "Time to get some free kunai, then." [1]

---

"Can I train yet, Chopper?"

"No. Go sleep or play The World. Something that isn't strenuous. Doctor's orders!"

"Sheesh, okay, little tanuki."

"Chopper, if you keep sitting on him like that, then his wound's going to reopen."

---

Zoro signed into The World with a sigh. "I better get to the City of Chrysanthemum, then. Requesting coordinates: 'City of Chrysanthemum.'"

"'City of Chrysanthemum' is 35 degrees east."

Zoro walked along, contemplating investing in a cart or animal that he could ride. When he did reach the city, he found Tashigi speaking avidly with a man selling armor, apparently arguing over prices.

"Busy cheating the man?" Zoro teased as he sidled up beside her. She jumped in surprise.

"You!" Her hand went reflexively to the sword at her side before settling next to her hip. "Finally decided to show up, did you?"

"We have plenty of time to find that Munetoshi guy," Zoro snorted.

"Already found his whereabouts," Tashigi said smugly. "He's the barkeep at a small tavern that's supposed to be pretty popular around here. Let's go."

The tavern in question did indeed look tiny—there was only a single drunk NPC that would periodically make lewd, pre-programmed comments at passing female characters. The walls were painted in fading red hues, and there was a poorly-constructed sign that read "Bar" above the door, which was hanging by the hinges. Zoro shrugged—he'd been to worse—and pushed the door open. Tashigi followed, glaring at the NPC as he chuckled and swiped at her playfully.

"Hello? Anyone in?" Zoro called, looking around. A man looked up, his long moustache bristling over a hooked nose, as he cleaned a grimy glass.

"What do you want?" the bartender said roughly, spitting on the floor as a way of greeting.

"Are you Munetoshi?"

"P'rhaps I am. What's it to you?"

"Just wondering if you were a philosophical guy or not."

The man looked at Zoro suspiciously. "Philosophy? Going to school to learn that garbage would kill me."

"But you know…death means victory."

The rag that wiped the glass—which Tashigi suspected was only getting dirtier—paused, then continued wiping busily.

"If you're so full of that philosophy shit, then there's a bathroom in the back. Go and empty your bowels," Munetoshi snorted, pointing to a door marked 'Unisex bathroom' beside the counter. "Take your pretty little lady with you, too."

Zoro nodded. "Let's go." He pushed open the bathroom door and wrinkled his nose in disgust—it certainly did smell like the kind of toilet that this dinghy establishment would have. He looked around and then grinned. "Here we go." He pulled the wallpaper away to reveal a narrow passage, allowing Tashigi to pass before replacing the paper.

Munetoshi smiled grimly as he closed the door behind them. "Another pair of lambs for the slaughter, huh?"

In the passageway, they walked cautiously in the dimly lit passage. The walls were heavily pixilated and the background sound was choppy, in heavy contrast to the graphics of the rest of The World.

"This isn't part of the official game, is it?" Tashigi whispered. "Look at the way that the texture of the wall overlaps so poorly."

"Someone must have hacked the game and created a hole," Zoro muttered back. "Why go to all the trouble, though?"

They reached the end of the passage, which abruptly opened up to another room. Unlike the passageway, which flicked indecisively as though wondering whether it was worthwhile to stay in such a poorly-constructed existence, this room must have been a part of The World. It was large and elegantly decorated, with tables and chairs laden with food and Health Potions. A surprising number of other players were already scattered among the tables; some were paired, but others were alone and looked confident in their skills.

Tashigi shrank back. "Are you sure we should be doing this? I'd bet that this infringes upon half the Terms of Agreement for the game."

Zoro grinned, looking hungrily at a player wearing an especially fine sword. "Oh, don't sweat the details. What matters is that we're going to win. Let's check out some of those potions, shall we?" He walked over to a table and picked it up, sniffing it carefully. "How many ninja skills have you learned?"

"Enough to get by. Why?"

"I want you to test these potions with 'Paranoia' before taking a single sip. Paranoia," he chanted under his breath, one hand glowing as he waved it over an open bottle. The liquid in the bottle turned a repulsive brown color. "See? Poisoned. I'll bet most of them have already been laced with the stuff." Zoro looked up and saw a player with a particularly brood back, wearing a fur-lined heavy coat, chuckle. The man did not turn around, and Zoro did not look at his face, but he knew that the man was trouble.

"Did all these people pass through that little tavern?" Tashigi mused out loud. "There seems to be too many to go without notice."

A man snorted beside her. "You don't know much about this tournament do you?" he said with a sympathetic smile. Zoro frowned as he saw it; it didn't match the man's spiky blond hair and double-pierced ears (he'd have to ask him where he could get that done) or pointed teeth. The man looked like a devil.

They'd probably get along just fine.

The man ran long, thin fingers through his hair. In a way, he reminded Zoro of Sanji. Pale skin, blond hair, a long, slim body, and fine hands that looked especially skilled at whatever he did. The man was garbed in the attire of someone with a primary ninja class, but upon closer observation Zoro could see the handle of a gun sticking out of the man's belt. Those piercing green eyes seemed to appraise the two of them just as thoroughly, although Zoro couldn't be sure.

"This tournament has been around for the last few years. That passageway—from Chrysanthemum, right?—is just one of many that connect this room to dozens of other cities scattered throughout The World. We're actually in the City of Wisteria [2]. The tournament will begin when the clock strikes the hour, and everyone in this room will be automatically assigned a number corresponding to someone else in the room—that's your opponent. As I'm sure you've heard, the winner of the tournament gets to choose whatever weapons he or she may want from the collection of a generous player. Of course, no one knows who it is, because this kind of competition is illegal in The World." The man smirked. "For obvious reasons."

"Why is it so dangerous? Don't you just get reborn after dying?" Tashigi asked.

The man shook his head. "If it were, then it wouldn't be any fun. You saw how that tunnel you walked through obviously wasn't a part of The World, correct? The players organizing the game are rumored to be above level 80—that is, they would be as strong as the Yonkou in the real world. They hacked into the game to create those wormholes and also made it so any who loses will die. Without being reborn."

Tashigi didn't look so sure about the competition anymore. "Can't we just find some safer, more legal way to do things?"

"You Marine," Zoro said, turning the title into a petname. "Always going by the book. That would take too long. Besides, this is starting to sound more interesting. What else should we know?"

"You two are entering as partners, I'm assuming. Only one of you needs to survive for both of you to win. On the other hand…if one of you dies, the other one goes out as well."

"How is that possible? You just said that…" Zoro said in confusion.

"Let me finish. If you forfeit, you can place your hopes on your partner. If you both end up facing each other, then you both win, too."

"Why are you helping us?" Tashigi asked suspiciously. "We don't even know your name."

The man fiddled with a rifle that he had pulled out in the blink of an eye. He looked down the barrel and checked to make sure it was in proper condition. "The more information you have, the more likely it is you'll survive. If more people have higher chances of survival, then things just get so much more intriguing when you all know that you're fighting to the death." A bell sounded softly, marking the hour. Everyone in the room tensed, responding to the signal. "As to who I am…you can call me Hiruma." He rose to his feet in a single smooth motion and disappeared into the crowds of people who were beginning to leave the room.

Zoro and Tashigi quickly followed the crowds and found themselves in a large hall, where a large board was placed on the wall with brackets in the manner of a sporting competition.

"Line up under the walls, you slackers," a sharp voice rang out over the group of people. Someone must have be using the Amplify spell—the opposite of the Silence that the man who had told them about the competition had used.

Zoro and Tashigi stood against the walls, each standing under a number. Zoro looked up and saw that he was number 80; Tashigi was, oddly enough, number 115. Apparently, these numbers were not chronologically ordered.

"Everyone lined up? Good. Don't be too startled, now," the voice continued. As the man (or woman?) spoke, the wall behind Zoro warped and enveloped his body before he had a chance to retaliate. All around him, everyone else was being similarly treated. He found himself in a small cell, with brick walls separating him from his neighbors. He looked through the bars and found that the cells were being reshuffled until everyone was in order. The cell was richly furnished, with a soft bed pushed against the wall and a small bathroom in the corner. He was slightly disturbed to open the medicine cabinet to find it stocked with rows and rows of powerful Health Potions and other restorative items. Whoever had furnished these rooms expected the worst for its occupants.

"Tashigi!" he yelled, sticking his head out desperately. If she heard him, he couldn't hear her response.

"You can stop yelling now," another voice said cheerfully. "While you're busy probably cursing me out right now, you can call me Gen. The real commander's busy right now making sure everyone's in the right cell. Don't bother yelling; no one can hear you, and you can't hear anyone but us. If you try to sign out, your character will be terminated. What?" Zoro could hear the man speaking to someone else softly. "Fine, fine…your battles will commence in five minutes. If you look on the wall, you can still see the brackets and where you stand. A copy will also be posted on your wall, with updates after every battle. Good luck," the man said, and the intercom crackled as it was shut off.

Zoro banged his fists against the walls in vain, seeing how the walls were of a much better quality than the tunnels that had taken them here. Someone had taken great measures to ensure that these cells were well-made and stable. He tried sending Tashigi a PM, but growled in frustration when it failed.

"Damnit!" he yelled. "How could I have let them fool us like this?"

The brick wall wavered, and he watched in silence as a door formed.

"Might as well get this over with, then…" he muttered, grasping the doorknob and walking out the door to his first opponent.

---

[1] When monsters spawn, that just means that more appear after you kill them. If they were really killing these monsters at this rate, then they'd all go extinct.

[2] Wisteria plants are actually one of the most poisonous, although purportedly, the flowers are not. Apparently no one wants to find out if that's true or not.

A/N: Munetoshi was one of the greatest samurai (I think) in Japan. According to Wikipedia which, as we all know, is oh so reliable but still. I had thought about making him all cool and stuff but the man who's going to be cool, powerful, good-looking and (most importantly) loaded is…someone else. It's an ES21 reference. I think he'll be around at the end of the tournament, but he's not permanent. Because life is such a transient thing…


	8. Fight!

Zoro stood in the middle of a square, grassy field lined with blank white walls and a high ceiling. There was no way of knowing whether he was still in the City of Wisteria anymore, and he didn't relish the idea of trying to break out in case he was stuck in a wormhole. He looked around for his opponent and saw a large, hulking man approaching him.

"Are you here for the tournament? The name's Ozeki. It looks like I'll be your opponent today." Ozeki stretched, his large body wrapped in the rough clothing of a brawler. His hair was tied into a topknot, and he vaguely resembled a sumo wrestler. "Are you going to forfeit now, or wait for me to kill you?" His corpulent body made Zoro doubt that the man would be able to keep up with his own speed.

Zoro's answer was to smile as he held the Blood Sakura to Ozeki's throat. "Actually, I think you will be the one to die today." He slashed, expecting a spray of blood.

Instead, the man moved with surprising speed for his bulk, dropping from under the blade and moving beside Zoro for a chop at his windpipe. They were competing for speed, both moving in a lethal dance of 'run and pursue.' Zoro found himself tiring, trying to wear down the other man's SP with his draining technique, but found that the other man must have been a high-enough level that it made little difference in the battle.

_I know that using my Santoryuu techniques will drain my SP, but I don't have another choice._ Zoro stopped, surprising the other man, as he stuck one sword between his teeth and gripped the other two tightly in his hands. "Oni giri!" he growled, slashing at the brawler viciously. He felt his Novice Blades trembling at the impact, and cursed himself for using such a technique with such poor blades. He grinned in triumph when he saw Ozeki stumble.

"'Ozeki' has lost (125) HP."

"Not bad. Onigiri sounds delicious right now," the other man grumbled, running one hand across the wound in his chest. "That's gonna sting tomorrow." His words were cut short as Zoro ran him through.

"'Roronoa Zoro' vs. 'Sumo Wrestler Ozeki.' Victory: 'Roronoa Zoro.'"

Zoro looked down at his bloody sword; Ozeki had dissipated in a cloud of pixels. "Tch," he said derisively, wiping his blades on his pant leg and looking around.

Zoro grumbled in dissatisfaction as he walked through the door that materialized in the air. That battle had been far easier than he had anticipated. He found that the door led to a small room rather than a cell, and that there was even a bar filled with more elaborate Health Potions than the previous cell. "The VIP treatment, eh?" he muttered, picking up a contorted blue bottle. "Hm…'Speed.' Temporarily increases character movement and speed. Interesting." He tucked it into a pouch at his side, grabbing SP restoratives and downing them.

"I wonder how Tashigi's doing?"

---

Tashigi yelled in frustration at her opponent. "Why are you doing this?"

The other man grinned lopsidedly, blood running down his face and a limp impeding his movements. He was a mage, but his magic had been useless in the face of her quick attacks. His staff lay several feet away, sliced in half and rendered useless. His thief secondary class did him no good, either. He ignored her question and lunged at her again, clumsy and slow.

She sidestepped easily, nicking his other leg and forcing him to fall to the ground. "You're crippled, and defenseless. You cannot defeat me. I'm only going to ask you one more time—_you must forfeit_."

The man shook his head stubbornly. "I'm not going to lose to a woman," he spat out.

Tashigi paled.

"'Tashigi' vs. 'Night Sparrow.' Victory: 'Tashigi.'"

Tashigi wiped the man's blood on his shoulder as his head rolled away.

---

Zoro yawned as he waited for his next opponent. The brackets were constantly changing on the wall, and he was slightly satisfied to see that Tashigi was still holding her own; the number '115' had flashed as it moved up on the board. He felt someone nudging him in the galley and he peeked over the headgear, keeping an eye on his room.

"What do you want?" he asked hurriedly, looking around. He saw Chopper looking at him with a worried expression.

"I'm glad that you're taking it easy, but it's pretty unusual to see you so, um, obedient to my orders," Chopper said sheepishly. "Are you alright? You're not feeling sick, are you?" The little doctor immediately began to check Zoro's forehead and pulse.

"Oi oi, don't worry. I'm fine," Zoro protested. "I'm participating in a tournament right now. I'll talk to you later," he said, putting the headgear back on as he saw a door appear on the screen.

"No wonder he's so complacent. He's still fighting, even in cyberspace," Chopper grumbled.

---

Zoro looked around the field and saw his opponent waiting for him, looking rather bored. When she turned to him, he paled slightly.

"Aren't you that Marine chick?" he almost shouted. Her pink hair swung slightly as she moved, adjusting the gloves on her hands.

"Hina is pleased. This will be an easy victory," she said smugly.

Zoro glared at her, one sword already moving to incapacitate her. He'd seen what that ability of hers could do, and was in no mood to try and break out of her iron bonds.

"It's not polite to attack so suddenly," she said smoothly, sidestepping the blade easily and grabbing it with her hand. A ring of iron immediately formed around it, and she kept a firm hold on it as she moved inside of his range of attack. Another arm swung, aiming for his torso.

"Shit…!" Zoro hissed, letting go of his blade and out of her range of motion just in time. He drew the Blood Sakura with his other Novice Blade, fully intending to use Santoryuu right off the bat if necessary.

As it turned out, it wasn't necessary. Both swords clattered to the ground, encased in iron.

"Is that it?" Hina said dismissively. "So weak. Hina expected more, Roronoa Zoro."

Zoro glared at her. "What level are you, anyway?"

"Hina is level 45."

Zoro blanched. "Frontal attacks won't work, then. _Stealth!"_ He disappeared in a cloud, and Hina sighed. Zoro maneuvered around her, wondering what her class was. She appeared to be a brawler of some sort, but he couldn't place her second class.

Zoro drew a kunai from his pocket and waved a hand over it, muttering "Poison." If he managed to nick her, then she would be finished—if he managed to avoid cutting himself with his own blade, that is. He threw the blade skillfully, aiming straight for her heart.

She caught the blade easily in midair. "Hina knows your position, now," she said calmly.

Zoro cursed mentally to himself. Now he knew why he couldn't place her second job.

Since she had passed level 40, she had been reincarnated. There was no telling what class she was now.

Hina smiled. "You understand the benefits of reincarnation, now?" she said softly. "Hina's stats are extremely high and specialized." She threw the kunai back at him, and he barely dodged as his Stealth skill was bypassed.

"Augh, _Illusion—Cicada!" _Zoro chanted. He had had a hard time mastering this skill, but he was glad that he had taken the time to learn it. His body dissolved into a cloud of cicadas, chirruping and flying in different directions. Hina scowled slightly.

"What trick is this…?" she mused softly, looking in interest.

Zoro allowed part of the cloud of cicadas to remain in front of her while another group gathered at her back. His hands rematerialized around her neck, two poisoned kunai at her veins. He was struggling internally with this method of attack; he hated underhanded methods of battle, but was left with no choice when his swords lay uselessly on the ground, encased in iron.

"Forfeit. I wouldn't want to tell Tashigi that I had to kill one of her senior officers," Zoro commanded, keeping his voice steady and betraying no weakness.

Hina laughed airily, obviously not buying his act. "Hina has never had the opportunity to fight a ninja before. Very interesting, very interesting. Hina forfeits. It wouldn't do to break Tashigi's heart by killing her boyfriend," she said mischievously. Before Zoro could argue with her, she disappeared.

"'Roronoa Zoro' vs. 'Hina.' Victory: 'Roronoa Zoro.'"

Zoro released the Illusion spell. He knew that he had lucked out this time—if Hina hadn't been in a good mood, then he would have been slaughtered while she yawned.

---

Zoro continued to fight his way up the ranks; none of his other opponents were half as difficult to deal with as Hina had been. He kept an eye on the charts, watching anxiously to make sure that Tashigi was still alive and kicking. Eventually, he found himself in the quarterfinals. He looked at the chart and saw that Tashigi was one of the four remaining players left. He wasn't sure if he was relieved that she was still in the game or disturbed by her progress.

He stepped out of his suite—this room was simply oozing with luxury, and he was loathe to leave the comfortable bed—and found himself in the center of a large coliseum whose floors were covered in sand and dirt rather than the customary grass. He saw that there were actually spectators watching from the stands; most likely those who had chosen to forfeit rather than die. He could have sworn that he saw bright pink hair sticking out among the spectators.

"Hm, who's going to die today…?" Zoro wondered out loud, looking around. He turned and saw the man with the large, fur-lined jacket facing him. He recognized the clothing from the main room where all the players had gathered, and the man that he had suspected of poisoning the potions. "Crocodile?" he yelped, taking a step back. Crocodile looked at him sourly.

"Shouting is unnecessary," the former Shichibukai drawled.

"Aren't you in prison?" Zoro asked, cautiously placing a hand on his belt where a number of Health Potions were stored. If necessary, he'd throw them on the man just to keep him from using his Logia ability.

Crocodile snorted. "I bribed the guards to let me have something to do. This was the only activity they had at that prison," he said. "I have not been transferred to Impel Down yet."

"Shouldn't you be a little more…_concerned_ with your fate?" Zoro asked incredulously. "You're going to the harshest prison on the Grand Line, yet you're playing a game?"

Crocodile shrugged. "It's better than sitting and watching that idiotic guard pick his nose all day. Disgusting. At least here I can walk around freely."

"Well then, in that case," Zoro said, knowing he had only one chance to use the element of surprise. "Here we go, then!" He threw a bottle of liquid at Crocodile, watching it splash on the other man and then drawing his swords (he had managed to remove the iron rings with much difficulty. Hina had kindly left them on there for him), he drew as much SP as he could from the other man to prevent him from using his Logia ability at all.

Crocodile staggered back, cursing. His body burst into sand on impulse, but enough of his body was left whole for the Blood Sakura to bite into his chest, leaving a shallow gouge.

"Damn you," Crocodile growled. "Only one crew knows of my weakness, and I just had to be facing one of you damned Straw Hat Pirates…!" His hands absorbed the liquid, and he slashed at Zoro. "Desert Spade!" A slicing blade of sand flew at Zoro, and he was hit in the chest as the blade moved with him.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has lost (300) HP."

"Shit, that's too powerful," Zoro muttered, realizing that Crocodile was in his element in the sandy coliseum. He barely had time to move out of the next attack's range as Crocodile performed a "Desert Sunflower." Zoro had little time over the next few courses of attack to do anything but dodge—for defending would be useless, as he would be desiccated upon contact—and tried to figure out another way to get close enough to the man to incapacitate him.

"How did you possibly make it this far in the tournament with such paltry skills?" Crocodile jeered, catching Zoro in the leg with a "Desert Spade" and forcing the man to the ground. "Good, now you can't run anymore, you worthless little worm. I'm ashamed of Daz Bones for having been defeated by the likes of you."

Zoro glared as Crocodile approached him confidently. He slowly reached into his side pocket and threw a kunai at Crocodile's face. He simply dissolved into a cloud of sand, but as he was rematerializing, Zoro threw a handful of potions at his body. Since he hadn't managed to land any blows on Crocodile yet, he didn't worry that the Health Potions would restore any HP he had managed to whittle down.

"Triple Sangria!" Zoro yelled, slashing at Crocodile's drenched torso. Three gashes formed, and Crocodile fell to his knees as he struggled to rematerialize. Zoro quickly drank a potion and felt his leg mending before using the "Speed" elixir. He was astounded to find that the rest of The World seemed to slow drastically, and he moved quickly to coat his blades with Crocodile's blood before arranging them where the other man's head had finally resurfaced. He saw the look of shock on Crocodile's face as he saw the blades, and Zoro smiled grimly. "You know, if you hadn't been such an asshole in Alabasta, then I might have let you forfeit. But…it's too bad that you were." Zoro turned away in disgust as Crocodile's body dissolved into a cloud of pixels.

"'Roronoa Zoro' vs. 'Crocodile.' Victory: 'Roronoa Zoro.'"

Zoro returned to his cell, noting with no little pleasure that his suite had been upgraded yet again. The walls were painted a rich cream color, and a look out of the (locked) French doors revealed meticulously manicured gardens. Heavy oak furniture and plush leather sofas were arranged on one side of the room; the other side held a bar complete with SP-restoring alcohol. He saw two doors leading down hallways to yet more rooms.

"What's better than a suite, I wonder?" he pondered. "Well, this isn't too bad. It's kinda big for one person, though, considering that I'll probably never come back here again. Maybe I'll just stock up on potions." He quickly searched the room, placing any bottle he found into his Inventory. "Heh, I love complimentary things. Wait. I'm a pirate. I'm…uh…looting. Yeah."

Inside his head, he knew how lame that sounded.

He went down a hallway—was this some sort of virtual penthouse or something?—and found a bedroom.

On the other side of the room, he found another.

He realized now why the locale was so large. His suspicions were confirmed when he ran back into the central room, looking for a clumsy girl with red glasses. He saw someone walk through a door (which quickly disappeared after it was closed) and began to call Tashigi's name. He stopped short when the person turned around.

It wasn't Tashigi. She had lost.

"Who the hell are you?"


	9. Zoro vs

A/N: Tomorrow is my last final. Man, chemistry sucks balls. But I forgot to upload this with The 'End of Seclusion' at the beginning of the week, so...here it is. Chapter 9.

---

"Who the hell are you?" Zoro snarled. "You're not Tashigi!" He looked at the ever-present set of brackets on the wall and saw that her number had been crossed out, and that he was scheduled to fight against a number 37.

_Crap, how did she lose? She must have forfeit, or I'd know by now,_ Zoro thought anxiously.

The man who had passed through the door grinned at him, wiping the stream of blood that ran down one cheek from a cut. He took a swig from a potion, watching in fascination as his injuries faded away. His lean, pale chest was only partially covered by a long robe with the sleeves cut off, and a checkered blue and white scarf. He wore a light turquoise piece of cloth around his waist similar to Zoro's haramaki, and his white pants were marred by drops of blood and streaks of dirt. He flipped his long black and green striped hair over one shoulder, smirking at Zoro.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten me already, Roronoa Zoro," he said in mock disbelief. "You cannot recall Cabaji of the Buggy Pirates?"

Zoro stared. "I thought you looked familiar, but I didn't think that someone like you could defeat Tashigi. Why aren't you up to whatever your red-nosed captain's up to?" he demanded.

Cabaji scoffed. "That woman? She put up a good fight, but in the end my special abilities were far too much for her. As a swordsman and ninja, her abilities were just as I'd expected—but mine were just better. As for Captain Buggy…" His face fell as he huddled in the corner for a moment, muttering something about _Impel Down _and _Alvida-san._

"…Right. What are you, then? A swordsman, and?" Zoro asked, glaring at the man.

"Another swordsman-ninja hybrid. You'd be surprised how few there are of us in The World," Cabaji said smugly. "Luckily for you, that woman forfeited before I could finish her off."

_Looks like it's up to me, then_, Zoro thought. "I'm in prime condition right now. You won't have a chance to pull any of those dirty tricks like you did last time we faced one another."

Before they could speak any further, a door appeared on the blank wall.

"Shall we go?" Cabaji proposed cordially. "After you." When Zoro merely glared at him, obviously not trusting him at all, he sighed lightly and went through the door.

The stadium they were in was just as large as the last, although the terrain was far more varied. There was both grass and dirt, as well as a large lake on the far left side and even trees and boulders scattered here and there. He looked anxiously up in the stands for the glint of Tashigi's glasses, and was slightly disturbed to not be able to see it.

"Are you sure that you can afford to be distracted, Roronoa?" Cabaji jeered, already swinging with his long saber. Zoro stepped out of his range easily, glaring at the other pirate. He continued to merely dodge Cabaji's attacks, watching the man carefully. He knew that if he slipped up even a little, then Cabaji would use any underhanded method to kill him.

"Tashigi may be clumsy," Zoro growled, ducking under a particularly vicious swing, "She may be naïve. But she is a skilled swordswoman nonetheless. Your abilities cannot have been enough to have defeated her. How did you do it?"

Cabaji grinned, his sword poised in front of his chest. "Like this. _Longbow!"_ His sword-arm glowed, and his blade shot out and stabbed Zoro in the gut.

"What the hell?" Zoro gasped, moving back quickly and clutching his wound. "How the hell did you do that?"

Cabaji smirked. "My sword is a bit special. I had a mage do a few tricks on it, and now it'll do quite a few pretty stunts. _Shrapnel!"_ The sword seemed to explode, showering Zoro with a cloud of sharp metal pieces.

"_Stealth!"_ Zoro called, disappearing. He knew that Cabaji would know how to circumvent that skill, but he needed to buy time. He guzzled a Health Potion and felt himself recover somewhat. His Blood Sakura was useful, but he needed to be closer to Cabaji to use his skills. "Is it worth it to use the '108 Pound Cannon'? It'll eat up my SP, and I don't know if I'll have time to restore it…hmm…"

"'108 Pound Cannon!'" Zoro yelled, sending a blast of energy at Cabaji. It hit the man in the chest and he was blown away, and Zoro ran in to perform his next attack. "'Soul Drain!'" That attack slashed across Cabahi's midsection and he felt his SP being restored with the skill.

As Cabaji landed, Zoro quickly drew a handful of kunai and threw them skillfully. Cabaji muttered, _"Impale," _and his sword grew long and thin; he struck the kunai down and stabbed them through the handles, letting them slide down his sword. _"Poison,"_ he chanted over the kunai, and then swung them back at Zoro with a mighty swing. Zoro dodged, but winced as he felt something prick his leg.

Cabaji had his own kunai that he had thrown in a second wave, and one had managed to hit its mark.

Already, Zoro was feeling the effects of the poison on his body. He felt sluggish and heady, and wondered whether it was all worth it. He staggered and nearly fell, but he heard someone yelling his name.

"Roronoa! You idiot, get up! If you get us both killed, then I'll never forgive you! Again!" Tashigi was yelling from the stands as an acolyte tended to her wounds. A particularly nasty gash stretched across her torso, and he could see the bloodstains on her clothes even from his vantage point. "Are you going to let that clown beat you?"

Zoro gritted his teeth. "Damn, women are all so demanding," he slurred, reeling and grabbing an Antidote from his side. He stuck the neck of the bottle in his mouth and hastily gulped down its contents, dodging Cabaji's next wave of attacks. He grinned as he felt his legs and arms responding again, and gripped the sheath of the Blood Sakura. He held it in his right hand and gripped the handle of the blade in his left, taking a low stance. Cabaji leered at Zoro, thinking that the green-haired swordsman would be easy to defeat in that position.

"_Lion's Requiem!"_ Zoro's voice rumbled as he performed the Ittoryu skill.

"'Roronoa Zoro' vs. 'Cabaji.' Victory: 'Roronoa Zoro.'"

Zoro grinned as he saw Cabaji on the ground, disappearing in a cloud of pixels like the shower of sakura on a spring day.

A door appeared in the air, and he gripped the handle of the door. Looking up into the stands, he waved at Tashigi before walking through.

---

Zoro found himself in the same luxurious two-bedroom penthouse that he had found before his battle with Cabaji, and was pleased to see Tashigi there with him.

"I guess we've won, huh?" Zoro stated flatly, not looking particularly excited as he studied the contents of the bar. Tashigi looked at him dubiously.

"You've just won a tournament with…let's see…_one hundred and twenty eight people,_ yet you sound like you're going to be executed," she protested. "Try to be a little more cheerful, would you?"

Zoro turned around and she saw the wide grin that threatened to crack his face in two pieces.

"You idiot," Tashigi laughed affectionately. "Too proud to admit that you're excited about the price."

They heard someone—two someones—cough lightly behind them, and they whirled around. The round oaken table that sat in the middle of the room was now occupied by two people that had managed to enter the room noiselessly without alerting the two swordsmen. One man had dark stubble on his face that didn't mask his rugged and mature features. He smoked a cigarette nonchalantly, scratching hair that was cut in the most ridiculous style that Zoro had ever seen—a mohawk. The other man had blond, spiky hair and leaned back in his chair with a cocky grin.

"Hey, aren't you Hiruma?" Tashigi inquired. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe we've met," she apologized to the other man.

He smiled gently. "My name is Gen. You might have heard me speaking on the Amplify spell at the beginning of the tourney. But this guy calls me Musashi." He stopped, and seemed to correct himself. "Actually, he doesn't call me that, either."

"Fucking old man, stop the chit chat. It's time to start this meeting," Hiruma snapped. "Sit down, you two."

"What foul language," Tashigi muttered.

"Weren't you participating in the tournament?" Zoro inquired, looking suspiciously at Hiruma.

Hiruma snorted. "Me? No. I'd kill you all in one shot." He grinned haughtily. "I'm actually the one who organized this whole thing." When Gen coughed, he scowled. "Fine, it was me and the fucking mohawk here."

"Now, I'm sure you're very anxious to see what we have to offer in terms of your prize, am I correct?" Gen interrupted Hiruma with a stern look that clearly said _Behave!_

Zoro leaned forward eagerly, and Tashigi felt a flutter in her stomach at the prospect of what the two men had to offer.

"Yes, we were strapped for cash and in sore need of decent weaponry. We've been using C-class blades, and he has two Novice Blades," she said, tilting her head in Zoro's direction. "Of course, that's what he gets for using three blades. Three times the incompetency."

"I _thought_ we've been over this, woman—"

"Having three swords doesn't make you stronger—"

"It doesn't make you weaker, either—"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Hiruma roared, whipping out a machine gun and firing it haphazardly. "Will you two shut your gobs? Damnit, you guys are more annoying than the fucking chibis."

The two swordsmen found that it was in their best interests to be quiet as debris from the ceiling rained upon their heads.

"Do you mean to say that you won this tournament with such poor weaponry?" Gen exclaimed. "Let me see them."

They placed their swords on the table. Tashigi's 'Aqua Sword' was battered, but might be repaired; the 'Blood Sakura' was in similar shape. When Zoro placed his Novice Blades down, though, they promptly broke, much to his chagrin.

"That's what I thought…" Gen hummed, tapping one of the fragments of the Novice Blades. It disintegrated under his touch. "I can't believe that you've been using this for so long. You're supposed to get rid of these once you've reached level 15 or 20, at least. What level are you now?"

Tashigi looked down ashamedly. "34."

Zoro turned red. "38."

"Th-thirty-eight?" Gen sputtered. "It's a miracle that they've managed to last this long! Don't you know that it's a great handicap, using such poor blades? Better swords mean better stats boosts, you know!"

Zoro turned an even brighter shade of crimson. "Well, the problem is that whenever I made money, a certain money-grubbed witch would confiscate it…" he muttered.

"He's not talking about you, is he?" Hiruma asked Tashigi affably.

"He's probably talking about his navigator. She's a bit scary."

"I see. Enough talk about this shit. Let's go to the armory," Hiruma said impatiently. "I've got to get rid of these rooms before those damned administrators try sniffing around again." He traced a symbol in the air and another door appeared. "Coming?" He wore a devious smile on his face.

Gen stood with a sigh. "He's always like this. He's so smug just because he knows how to manipulate the game as he pleases. Oy, Hiruma, I can hack too. Conceited bastard."

Zoro and Tashigi walked through the door and found themselves in a sizeable chamber. The floors were sanded-down bamboo and the walls were simple and white. There was no decoration whatsoever; it was like being in a box, with small lights studding the ceiling.

That is, a box whose walls bristled with weaponry.

There was rack after rack of different guns, from long-barreled rifles and squat submachine guns to tiny pistols that could fit in the palm of your hand. They ranged from steel to even gold-plated, and Zoro gaped as he saw a pistol studded with gems that was mixed with a few dull, gray handguns.

"This is your armory?" Tashigi gasped. "It's splendid." She ran over to a wall where a rocket launcher gleamed in the light. She ran a hand over the barrel, marveling at the power such a large weapon must hold.

Zoro frowned. "But these are all guns. We're swordsmen, not gunslingers."

Hiruma nipped through the door, and Zoro saw the suite they had just vacated disappearing through the closing door. "Kekeke, this is only the gun room. C'mon, follow me." He strolled through a door that had been overlooked in the splendor of the artillery.

They walked through hall after hall, each with its own theme. "Here's the archery room," Gen drawled, waving at a collection of bows and arrows—even an array of blowguns. "Blunt objects in this room, like maces. Axes in here. Ah, swords. Here we are."

Zoro gazed at the rows of swords in wonder, and his hands itched with the need to touch the hilts and examine the blades. Heavy broadswords, slim rapiers, sweeping sabers, short wazikashi, two-handed claymores…finally, he picked out a large section devoted entirely to katana and blades similar to it.

"May we?" Tashigi asked, looking just as needy. When Gen and Hiruma nodded their consent, they ran forward eagerly.

Zoro was astounded by the variety of weaponry available. "This one's a bit heavy, even more so that Shuusui," he muttered, hefting one blade in one hand. "But this one's even lighter than Yubashiri. You don't happen to have any Meitou or anything, do you?"

Gen shrugged. "Ask this guy, he's the weapons expert. I just help with the graphics."

Hiruma's fingers were already dancing along the sword sheathes. "Meitou? I had a couple, although those are already gone. Last year's tournament was won by another swordsman. Called himself the fucking Pirate Hunter or something equally idiotic. I better start looking for replacements for Yubashiri and Sandai Kitetsu."

"That damned Pirate Hunter _again?_" Zoro howled in frustration, startling Hiruma and Gen with his fury. Tashigi patted his arm sympathetically; to have had this opportunity slip by because of the same man must have been frustrating.

Hiruma shrugged. "He won, fair and square. He looked kind of like you, though. Is green a new trend or something?"

Zoro ignored the jibe at his hair. "You don't have any Meitou-quality blades?"

Hiruma seemed to mull over the question. "Well, I think I might have, ah, convinced a few players to part with theirs. Aha, here we are." He pulled a few swords from the walls, tossing them unceremoniously to the pair. "Catch."

"You can't treat swords like this! It'll throw off the balance if they fall," Tashigi protested.

"Oh, stop fussing. That won't happen in The World."

Tashigi hefted the sword in her hand. "Surprisingly…it feels right. It's not the same as Shigure, but it's very…it's unlike anything I've ever held before." She gripped it tightly. "I should look over what else you have, but this one feels just right. I'm taking this."

"That one's called 'True Air,'" Hiruma informed her.

Zoro gently placed the three swords that Hiruma had thrown at him on his haramaki, testing how they felt against his waist. He drew them, one at a time, and swung them experimentally. "The way that these blades respond is excellent," he murmured.

"Those two are a set. 'Sukenari' and 'Sukenobu.' The real swords were supposedly made as part of the Kiku-ichimoji that an emperor commissioned from thirteen swords smiths, one for each month of the provincial calendar. These are from the last two months," Hiruma commented, gazing at the blades fondly.

Zoro drew the last one and nearly dropped it in shock. "Shuusui!" He would recognize the weight and caliber anywhere.

Gen smiled. "I take it that you recognize that one?"

Zoro nodded. "It's one of my swords in the real world. How'd you come by it?"

"One of the administrators was using it, but when I found that he had breached the Terms of Agreement and Code of Conduct, as well as a few legal stipulations, he gladly handed it over. Come to think of it, I haven't visited him in a while," Hiruma cackled, eyes slitting in laughter.

Zoro shuddered. This man was as demonic as himself, and as manipulative as Nami.

"Is that all you'll be needing, then?" Gen queried. "We actually have a few weapons for your ninja class too, if you wanted to look. We don't often find players who can use them, since they're ninja-specific. Care to take a look?" He gestured to another doorway, where they found a much smaller room. There were racks covered with throwing implements, baskets of caltrops, and covered baskets below rows of short, straight swords.

"What's in there?" Zoro pointed to the covered baskets.

Hiruma cackled gleefully. "These here have explosives. Smoke bombs, firecrackers, eggshells filled with all sorts of nasty things, and even a few landmines here or there. That one over there contains rings that you wear when you're in very close combat. If you strike at a person's vital or pressure points while wearing those, you're guaranteed to drastically increase the effect of the blow. Nasty stuff, that."

"We can't possibly use such wretched methods of battle," Zoro and Tashigi chorused simultaneously.

Hiruma rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. You damned swordsmen and your honor. I saw all of your battles. Both of you were pretty sneaky when you had to be," he hooted with a smirk. "It's funny how you chose the two classes with opposing morals. If you don't want to use 'em, then leave it. We're not forcing you to take anything. Just don't come back crying when you fucking lose because your opponent was more serious than you are."

Zoro sighed, walking over to the baskets and picking up an egg labeled 'Salt: throw in eyes.' He winced, muttering, "I'll be fighting like Usopp. Ugh." He placed the various weapons and devices into pockets and pouches that he had previously found to be useless, grimacing at how they were perfectly cushioned to prevent cracks and accidents. After a moment of hesitation, he slipped a short ninjato sword between two hooks on his back. He stepped away from the wall, feeling dirty but complete.

Tashigi watched him silently, and followed suit.

"You'll thank us when this saves your asses one day," Hiruma said, looking bored. "Done? Now get out." He opened a doorway to what they saw was the dinghy bathroom in the City of Chrysanthemum.

"Oi, couldn't you at least send us somewhere sanitary?" Zoro objected, as Tashigi wrinkled her nose in agreement. "I didn't think virtual bathrooms could smell as bad as that."

Hiruma opened his mouth to argue, but Gen intervened. "I'm sorry, but there are only a few places anchored in The World that we can manipulate without worrying about intervention from the admins. That place is especially secure because no one ever goes in that bathroom. This is to protect you as well."

A few moments later Zoro and Tashigi stumbled, gagging, out of the bathroom as the hole behind the wallpaper was sealed shut.


	10. Waiting

"I'll see you later, then? Send me a PM when you want to meet up," Zoro told Tashigi, getting ready to log off. His muscles were stiff from inactivity, and he was yearning for a good nap.

"Sure. Ja ne."

Zoro wearily pulled off the headset, blinking as he tried to adjust to the light of the dark galley.

_Damn, what time is it?_ he wondered blearily. He stepped outside and found his crew battling under the moonlight. "Hey, why didn't you guys call me?" he yelled, grabbing his swords and unsheathing them. He stopped short as he saw the last Marine fall into the water. The rest of the crew looked at him in surprise.

"We're perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves," Nami said with a scowl. "These were just small fry, anyway. Even Usopp and I could take them on."

"O-oy, Nami, why are you grouping us together?" Usopp exclaimed indignantly.

"Because you're clever, but you're weak. Just accept it."

"Sigh…"

"Don't worry, marimo. You wouldn't have made much of a difference, especially with that paper-cut of a wound that you have," Sanji teased, jumping back onto the ship. "Nami-san, Robin-chan, did you see me? Ah, battling to protect such precious flowers…truly, there is no nobler cause!"

Zoro rubbed the back of his head ruefully, muttering, "Maybe I've been playing that game a little too much."

He tried to stay away from The World for a while, he really did. The next time the Marines stopped by, he took out the entire ship just to make up for his last absence. He couldn't afford to put the crew at risk for a bit of entertainment. But every once in a while, when he was recuperating from this gash or that bullet wound, his eyes would stray back to that innocent little console waiting in the galley. Once in a while, he'd wonder _Is Tashigi still playing?_ and then shake his head, turning to his weights to distract himself. Even training with his swords would remind him of Tash—The World. It had been bad enough when looking at Wado Ichimonji reminded him of Kuina, and therefore of Tashigi. But now Shuusui was just as sore of a reminder. Gradually, though, things turned back to normal; Marines or other pirates would stop by, and they'd get into a grand old scuffle like always. He began to push the game into the back of his mind, where it sat in lonely isolation.

One day, when he was searching for a good bottle of rum in the galley, he heard someone muttering under their breath. He poked a head out of the pantry and saw Sanji sitting cross-legged on the floor, body twitching once in a while in what Zoro could only assume was a fight. His mouth twitched into a slight smile, and he sauntered over with a dusty bottle to join the cook.

"Having fun, Prince?" Zoro joked, popping the bottle open. Sanji's eyebrow gave a spasm at the nickname and the sound of the opening bottle.

"That better not be the good rum."

"It's always the good rum."

"You shitty bastard. I'll get you later."

Zoro drank from the bottle slowly, savoring the liquid as it ran down his throat. Knowing Sanji, the blond would probably hide the bottles and he'd have to search the entire ship all over again just to find their new hiding places. When the bottle was empty, he sighed and plugged an additional controller into the game console.

"I might as well give it another run," he mumbled, cracking his neck as he settled into a more comfortable positon.

He found himself in the City of Chrysanthemum where he'd left off the last time and moved his arms experimentally, getting the feel of the controls again. Satisfied with his movements, he looked up in surprise as a winged envelope popped into the air above him. He grabbed it, only to find it replaced by another.

After grabbing envelope after envelope, he found himself with a small pile of the things. He opened them, one by one, face falling as he read their contents.

"_Hey Zoro. This is Tashigi. Up for some leveling up?"_

"_This is Tashigi. I guess you weren't on in time for my last PM. Been busy?"_

"_It's Tashigi. I recently reached level 38, so you should start leveling up again if you want to keep up with me…"_

The letters continued on that kind of thread, and Zoro groaned at the last letter.

"_I've been reincarnated, so you probably won't recognize me the next time you see me. If you ever see me again."_

"Crap!" he shouted, storing the letters in his Inventory. "I'm such an idiot!"

"Got that right," Sanji muttered beside him in the galley.

"Shut up. Where are you, anyway?"

"City of Chrysanthemum. Why?"

At that, Zoro began to run around the city. "I need someone to train with. Tell me your coordinates."

"You just passed me, baka. There you are. Why are you training all of a sudden?" Sanji asked.

Zoro rubbed the back of his head ruefully, noting the new equipment that Sanji had obtained. "There's this other player I need to catch up to. What level are you?"

"Level 38," Sanji said coolly, taking a puff from a virtual cigarette. He'd finally managed to find a way to smoke on the game.

"We're only two levels away from reincarnation. Want to train together?" Zoro asked desperately.

Sanji checked his fingernails nonchalantly, leaning against the wall for good measure. "I don't know, Zoro-chan, you haven't been very nice to me lately. You did drink the good rum, too."

"If you don't train with me, then I'll just kill you right now and get some experience," Zoro snarled.

"My, my, what a violent marimo," Sanji drawled. Zoro sighed, knowing that he wasn't going to get anything done this way. Zoro drew Sukenari and aimed at Sanji for a warning slash. Sanji dodged it with ease, one hand still on his cigarette. "Going against your swordsman code, eh?"

Zoro shrugged. "I'm a ninja here, too. I do what I have to do."

Sanji grinned. "Good policy." He immediately struck out and hit Zoro square in the chest, knocking the air out of the swordsman.

"Ugh…!" Zoro groaned, trying to reestablish his skill in the game. He had no idea what skills to use with these weapons, and he wished he had the familiar touch now that he had with the Blood Sakura. He drew all three, placing the heavier Shuusui in his mouth when he found that wielding it with either the lighter Sukenari and Sukenobu threw off his balance drastically. He moved in for an 'Oni Giri' but blanched as he saw a shiny black shoe whizzing at his face.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has been defeated."

"Damnit!" Zoro growled, rubbing his face in irritation as he sought Sanji out again. "Since when did that guy get so strong?" He found Sanji where he'd left him, still smoking. Sanji waved lazily with a smirk.

"I thought you'd have more in you than this, marimo. Your swords look better now, too," Sanji noted, nodding in approval. "It makes me glad to know that my class doesn't use weapons. I don't have to fumble around with class-specific weapons, like you seem to be doing. 'Roundhouse kick,'" he muttered, one long leg swinging in a blurred arc. Zoro just barely managed to dodge it, and he grinned as he began to grow more accustomed to the new swords.

The two of them fought for a long time, attracting admiring and intimidated stares from the other players. They moved through the streets, brawling wherever there was room for a good kick or swing of a sword. Other players began to follow them cautiously, watching in excitement. A girl would occasionally squeal at a particularly lethal combination, and the men would nod in approval.

---

Tashigi walked glumly along, her sword swinging at her hip in time with her steps. A pale robin's-egg blue cape billowed behind her as she walked down the street, throat tightening with slight nostalgia. She remembered the last time she'd walked down the streets of Chrysanthemum, waiting patiently for a certain green-haired swordsman to join her. She had sent the first PM almost shyly, wondering and hoping that he would reply. She'd never admit it, but she rather enjoyed spending time with the crotchety swordsman. When he hadn't replied to her first PM, she sent the next one timidly, wondering if she was using the right user name to send it to.

After the third or fourth unanswered message, she stopped asking him to join her and merely sent letters whenever something major happened to her.

Once in a while she would join Smoker to play—the Logia user had finally reached level 25—and they would form parties with other Marines while they were stationed for long periods of time at islands where the higher-ups would insist on their presence. She trained, both on the game and in the real world, refusing to think about Zoro. She would find pleasure in leveling up, so she continued to do so until she reached his level. She stopped, waiting, hoping that he would return and send her a message so they could move on together. She had traveled to other cities and met other players, other swordsmen and even the occasional ninja. They were strong, to be sure.

But they weren't Zoro.

They didn't need her to tell them when they were going in the wrong direction or what equipment was best for what stat. They didn't tease her cat ears, and while a few wore earrings, none of them had the three piercings that would tinkle in just the right rhythm when they moved.

Eventually, she gave up. She trained until she reached level 40 and beyond—admittedly, halting her training in a last-ditch attempt to wait—and then finally reincarnated.

One hand covered in small plate armor trembled as she walked up to Munetoshi's bar and ordered a few SP restoratives.

Munetoshi looked her over and grinned cheekily. "You've been working hard, eh?" he observed. He had seen her come by often as she waited for Zoro, clicking his tongue in disapproval and then pity. "It's a shame your man couldn't see you now. He'd be raring to go for a battle with you, I'm sure."

Tashigi shrugged, drinking glumly. "Well, I'm only at level 43 right now. We had some trouble with some pirates out in the real world, so I haven't had time to play much lately."

"Ah, so that's why you haven't been around." Conversation was cut short as mage ran up to the bar, jabbering excitedly.

"Munetoshi, you've got to come see this! There are two insane players out there who've been fighting _forever_, and neither of them has been defeated yet. We're taking bets on who's going to fall first. Do you want to place any wagers?" the man said excitedly.

Munetoshi shrugged, heaving his body out of the chair he had previously occupied. "Might as well. This lady's probably the last customer of the day. P'rhaps you should come along for the ride, missy."

Tashigi nodded silently and followed.

They found the location of the battle fairly easily, due to the large crowd that had gathered. There were even players hanging out of the windows of the buildings, hoping for a better view. Tashigi gaped at the sight. She hadn't seen such a high concentration of players since that tournament she had participated in with Zoro. They pushed their way through the crowd, at first with difficulty and then with relative ease as the other players spied Tashigi. Then, the crowd parted willingly as whispers followed her.

Tashigi ignored them, following Munetoshi until they found the middle of the crowd. She could see the two players fighting at furious speeds, and she saw that they had not reincarnated yet. She nodded in admiration at the blond's speed. _With such skill, he's probably close to reincarnation,_ she noted. Her eyes widened as she caught a flash of green and saw three swords at work, trying to wear down the other man.

"Zoro…?" she mouthed, not quite saying it aloud. She saw Zoro's eyes widen and, for a split moment, she wondered if he had seen her. Her heart rose against her will in hope, but then she saw him grin wildly.

"'Clover spike!'" Zoro growled, his arms and swords glowing as he used the skill. "Finally, I'm learning how to use these damned swords."

Sanji flew back as a small, satisfied smile played across his face. "Looks like we're both at level forty now, then," he groaned, disappearing as he hit the ground.

"'Sanji' has been defeated."

The crowds cheered as Zoro stood up straight, putting his swords back into their sheathes and looking around in surprise.

"What the hell?" he exclaimed, blinking owlishly. "Where did all these people come from?" He shrugged, light and warmth enveloping his body as he leveled up. "Oh well, I might as well find that ero-cook so we can reincarnate." He turned and walked off through the crowd of people.

"Wait!" Tashigi cried, beginning to run after him. She found herself surrounded by other people as the clearing in the middle of the crowd began to collapse. "Zoro!"

He was gone.

---

Zoro looked around as he heard someone call his name. He didn't see anyone that he knew, so he simply kept walking.

He found Sanji walking down a narrow alley, smoking a new cigarette.

"Do those things actually do anything for you?" Zoro asked curiously.

Sanji looked at the cigarette in his hand and shrugged. "In terms of nicotine, no. But they gradually replenish HP and SP. So, uh, where do we go now?"

They looked at each other, stumped. They had no idea how to reincarnate now that they had reached level 40.

"Let's ask Nami-san!" Sanji exclaimed excitedly. "She knows a lot about the game. Or, maybe Robin-chan will know."

Zoro was suspicious of Sanji's intentions, but acknowledged the suggestion as valid. "Sounds like a good idea. Let's sign off, then." The two of them logged out, and Zoro could have sworn that he heard his name called again.

_Maybe they're just trying to talk to us in the galley, _he concluded.

---

Tashigi struggled to get out of the crowd, nudging past the other players as she tried to find where she'd last seen Zoro. When she was finally in the open, she looked around and saw a green-haired man disappear down a narrow alley. She forced herself to walk calmly, but then gave in and began to run as her armor clanked with her movement. She skidded to a halt and saw Zoro talking to Sanji.

"Zoro!"

They disappeared as they logged off.


	11. Reincarnation and reunion

A/N: There's a bit of SmokerxAce at the end. Just warning you. Nothing explicit, though.

---

Sanji worked furiously to cook dinner, groaning as he saw the time. _How could I shirk my duties to my ladies?_ he thought in anguish, whipping eggs together quickly. "Eggs will cook quickly, and there's that stew I left to simmer after lunch," he muttered, sprinkling pepper and garlic powder into the bowl. When Luffy stuck his head into the galley, he knew that it was dinnertime. He threw a few baked sweet potatoes at Luffy yelling, "Just eat these and wait. Dinner's almost done!"

"Yahoo! Thanks, Sanji!"

As he worked, he saw Zoro lounging in a chair glumly. Sanji knew that the others sometimes found Zoro hard to read because of his ever-present "I'm pissed off or tired, so go away" look, but he knew that something more was wrong at the moment. Those green eyebrows were crinkled at a deeper angle than usual; his eyes were downcast, but not in drowsiness; the way his hands would stroke his swords so lightly, especially the white one, meant that he must have been thinking about someone who brought forth special memories. The way that Zoro's lip stuck out slightly meant that he was thinking about something idiotic he'd done.

"Oy, marimo, come help me cut this broccoli. Or would that be considered cannibalism to you?" he called, deliberately provoking the other man.

Zoro simply stood with a half-hearted "Shut up" and complied.

As they worked, Sanji made sure to keep his voice casual as he asked, "So, what's been bugging you?"

Zoro's eyes flew up in alarm and he hastily replied, "Nothing. Keep your nose out of my business."

Sanji's curly eyebrow wiggled as he caught the meaning in those words. "Oh, so there really is business for me to stick my nose into, eh? Just spill it. You've been like that ever since we logged off."

"You're just going to be an ass about it."

"I'm never an ass."

"You're _always_ an ass."

"Not right now, I'm not. I'm asking about your freaking well-being, so just tell me!"

Zoro sighed. "Fine. You remember that Marine chick? The one who's always hanging around that Smoker guy?"

Sanji nodded, shutting his eyes as he breathed in the fragrance of the salad he was making. It wouldn't do for Zoro to see his eye in a heart-shape right now. "What about her?"

"Well, I trained with her on The World for a while. We even entered this illegal tournament together and stuff—"

"Waitwaitwait. You entered an illegal tournament and she was willing to go along with it? That takes balls."

"She reached the quarterfinals. So yeah, she's pretty gutsy. But right after that, we agreed to meet up again. But…I stopped playing for a few months. And I didn't send her a message or anything." Zoro yelped in alarm as Sanji's leg shot up, narrowly missing his chin. "What the hell was that for?!"

Sanji glared at him, the knife in his hand looking very menacing. "You did such a stupid thing, and this is all the guilt you're showing? You should be hung by your chops, for doing that to a lady!" He kicked again, clipping Zoro on the jaw.

"Oof! You bastard! I just forgot, okay? When I saw you guys fighting those Marines and I didn't even know that we were in trouble, I just prioritized—"

"Women should be the highest priority! You could have at least sent her a message or something, you nimwit!" Suddenly, Sanji stopped. "For you to even have thought about this…you really care about her, don't you?"

Zoro didn't answer, his eyes focused on cutting the broccoli.

"Stop that, marimo. If you cut them any smaller, they'll fall through the strainer." Sanji ran a hand across his brow. "Ah, the primitive nature of a Neanderthal. You need to sign on after dinner and _tell her about how you've been an idiot! Understood?"_ he snarled. He kept his guard up, waiting for Zoro to swing a punch in retaliation.

Surprisingly, all Zoro did was nod quietly.

---

Smoker sorted through the mountain of paperwork, rubbing his cigar into the occasional report that happened to piss him off more than usual. Today, all of them were getting his stamp of disapproval.

"Taisa, this is no fun."

"Shut up, Portgas. I've got work to do. You're lucky that I have honor." The next vigorous stabbing of his cigar left a hole in the paper and a cigar that needed to be relit.

"Adhering to the terms of a bet shouldn't be considered honorable for a Marine. It should be customary, neh? Smoky-chan. Need a light?" Two fingers snapped, producing a brilliant flame.

"Don't call me that, you little ass." A cigar was reluctantly put forth and was lit.

"It hurts me to think that whenever you see me, all you think of is ass. I have a personality too, you know."

"A shitty one."

"Just because I can slay more 'Water Dragons' in The World than you can isn't any reason for you to sulk, Smoky-chan."

"That's not the only problem here, you idiot."

"What is, then?" Ace looked at Smoker with a crafty look in his eyes, trying to play up his non-existent innocence.

"Your damned conditions to this stupid bet."

"Why'd you take it, then?"

"…"

"Ah, I see. Smoky-chan wanted to see me in a red—"

"Smoker-san! I have the new reports, and—" Tashigi burst into the office carrying another gargantuan pile of reports. She stopped short as she saw the two people occupying the office and turned almost purple in her mortification at their attire. "Ah…ah…I'll just leave these here." She promptly turned around and ran out.

"What a cutie."

"I'm going to kill you, Portgas."

"Tsk, tsk. I happen to think that you look almost as good in my clothes as I do. Do you know how much what you're wearing costs? Special Doskoi Panda brand, with the logo emblazoned on the crotch. You should lose a little weight though, taisa. They say that justice is heavy, but judging by the waistline of your pants, it must be _really_ heavy."

Smoker thought back to that ill-begotten bet that he had been foolish enough to accept. Ace lounged, wearing Smoker's shorts and jacket, while the other man was wearing…something quite special.

_Smoker felt his body leveling up and he grinned as he saw the remnants of the 'Kappa' he had been fighting fade away. He was (finally) getting the hang of playing in The World, and could train without an escort to make sure that he didn't get defeated too many times. He turned around and saw a freckled face peering at him under an orange hat._

"_Portgas D. Ace!" he grumbled, hand forming smoke and reaching out to strangle the other man._

"_Hey, wait," Ace interrupted him, his body turning into flame. "You know how this battle's going to go already. Let's settle our differences another way, shall we?"_

_Smoker looked at him suspiciously. "What are you talking about?"_

"_If you can slay more 'Water Dragons' than I can, then you can dress me up however you want and I'll parade around in what you choose for a day. And vice versa, of course. C'mon, you know you want to. Fire users are weak against water, neh?"_

_Somehow, the fire-user had convinced Smoker to play along. The fact that Ace had suggestively held up a string of revealing clothing hadn't hurt, either._

_Smoker had lost, of course. A level twenty-something mage and brawler mix just can't win against a level fifty-plus reincarnated player._

_And thus, Smoker found himself wearing…_

"I think that those red Speedos bring out the color of your eyes, _Commodore,_" Ace said happily, licking his lips.

"My eyes are gray, you dolt."

"Then we'd better take it off then, huh?"

---

Later, after he and Ace had had a little 'discussion,' he found a spare change of clothes (Ace had stolen Smoker's clothing and impudently left the Speedo hanging on the doorknob) and found Tashigi on the deck, reading. She blushed when she saw him, but didn't say anything outside of a "Good evening, Smoker-san."

Smoker grumbled as he sat down beside her and stretched his arms behind him head. "What were you saying before?" he asked. "You looked like you had something else on your mind."

Tashigi shuffled the pages of her book timidly. "Smoker-san, is it wrong to play videogames with pirates?"

Smoker shrugged. "I don't think anyone really cares anymore. Why?"

"What about wanting to play with a particular pirate? Or, um…"

"Spit it out, Tashigi."

"I've been developing rather unprofessional sentiments for the opposite side, sir," she said meekly.

Smoker looked at her, a strange look on his face. He shrugged in defeat. "I couldn't really admonish you for that, in my position." He tugged on the collar of his jacket in slight embarrassment, looking at the 'A' that was still burned on his chest—Aokiji's collar had been melted off by a furious Ace.

"Just do what you feel is right, Tashigi."

---

Finished the last bite of rolled eggs, Zoro sighed and leaned back in his chair. Sanji saw his empty plate and raised an eyebrow, tilting his head at the GLGS. _Go and apologize to her, you shitty swordsman, _the look said.

Zoro furrowed his eyebrows. "Want help with the dishes?" he asked, trying to distract the other man.

"Nice try. You can do the breakfast dishes tomorrow. Go," Sanji scowled.

---

"If it's really bothering you that much, then just go talk to whoever you may or may not be developing 'unprofessional sentiments' about, Tashigi," Smoker suggested gruffly.

"Yes, sir."

---

Zoro walked around the City of Chrysanthemum, putting off what he knew he had to do. He jumped as he saw Sanji standing in the street in front of him.

"What the hell are you waiting for, marimo? Get to it!" Sanji shouted.

Zoro faltered, looking around for an excuse. "Er, actually…let's get reincarnated. I, um, want to face her as a better man?"

Sanji looked at him with a strange expression, and Zoro wondered if the other man bought his act. Suddenly, he felt two arms wrap around his body, squeezing him tightly.

"What the hell are you doing, shitty cook?" he gasped, trying to breathe.

"You're starting to act like a real gentleman," Sanji sniffed, wiping tears from his sparkling eyes.

Back in the galley, the rest of the crew watched Zoro and Sanji in fascination.

"So, did you ask Nami?" Zoro asked.

Sanji nodded. "There's a reincarnation specialist in every city. This city's standing specialist is a bartender."

Zoro felt a creeping dread as he heard those words. "Er, do you have a name?"

"Yeah. Munetoshi."

Zoro cursed inwardly. "Of all the people…okay, let's go. I already know where the place is."

"You sure you should be the one leading?" Sanji teased, following the other man.

Zoro found the bar without any difficult; he felt drawn to the place. Sanji wrinkled his nose at the appearance but walked in without any complaints. When Munetoshi saw them, he simply smirked and waved with his dirty rag.

"I knew you'd be coming, boy," he claimed, putting his glass aside. "Reincarnation, right?" When Munetoshi saw Sanji, he shook his head in disbelief. "Don't tell me that you've switched to men, now? Your missy would be heartbroken."

Zoro snorted. "I'm not gay, you idiot. We're getting reincarnated together. Okay, maybe that does sound a little weird. Has Tashigi been by here?"

Munetoshi nodded, spinning a shotglass idly. "Aye, that she has. Got reincarnated quite a while ago. You're behind the game, lad."

"Let's get started, then. What do we have to do?"

Munetoshi shrugged. "It's not a difficult process. All you gotta do is drink this—" he held up a black bottle, "—and swill it around a bit. Once it starts to twinge a little, you spit it out into this dish." He pulled an iridescent basin from under the counter; its beauty was out of place with the décor of the establishment. "After that, I just read the signs and tell you what's available. Your Tashigi's choices were quite surprising, I'll tell you that."

"What is she, then?" Zoro asked.

Munetoshi shook his head. "'Fraid I can't tell you that. Confidential. So, who wants to go first?"

Sanji stepped forward. "I'll go first. You just sit back and watch, marimo." He took a swig from the bottle, gagging slightly at the taste. Zoro frowned as he smelled the bottle's contents.

"It smells like gasoline and vomit," he groaned. "Great."

Sanji's eyes nearly popped out as he clutched his throat and grabbed the basin. He spit into it, retching horribly. "What the fuck was that…" he gasped, spitting forcefully.

Munetoshi cackled in amusement. "I love watching peoples' reactions. Let's see…" He swirled the dark liquid, and Zoro and Sanji watched in fascination as it changed into a clear cobalt color. "Interesting. Your choices are Biochemist, Savateur, or Alchemist. What do you want?"

Sanji mulled over the choices. "I can only choose one, right?"

"You're a sharp one, kiddo."

"Alright. I'll choose the Savateur," Sanji stated resolutely. "Is this going to 'twinge' like that shit you gave me?"

Munetoshi laughed, drawing complex symbols in the air as he performed a skill. "Nah. It'll hurt more," he said with a grin as he finished the spell. Sanji's eyes widened and he fell to the floor, gritting his teeth against the pain. Zoro could see his clothing warp, unraveling and being remade as he struggled against his own anguish. When it was all over, Sanji slowly stood. His expensive brawler and merchant garb had been replaced by loose, dark blue pants and a simple white shirt. There were malleable blue leather gloves on his hands, and his feet were bound in smooth leather shoes. Marks were forming on his body and turned into twisting indigo tribal tattoos that spread from his jawline down his chest to disappear under his shirt.

"You'd think reincarnation would give me some better clothing," Sanji grumbled, spinning experimentally on one foot. A small tic was still on his forehead, and he jumped as a spasm of pain jolted his body at random intervals.

Zoro looked at the twitching man worriedly as he drank from the bottle. It tasted just as bad as it smelled, but otherwise was just like swishing water in his mouth. He nearly swallowed the stuff when he felt his mouth burning, and spat quickly into the (emptied) basin. Even when it was gone, his mouth still stung. "'Twinge' my ass," he muttered.

Munetoshi performed the same ritual, chuckling as the liquid turned green. "Green, huh. Figures. Hm…looks like your choices are Obsidian Knight, Ronin, Assassin Cross, or Crusader. Take your pick."

Zoro thought about it. "Which one is the coolest?" he asked bluntly.

Munetoshi laughed. "That shouldn't be what you choose it for. I'm not allowed to influence your choice, anyway. Just choose what feels right. Crusaders are pretty popular, though."

"…that could be good or bad."

"Take your pick, boy."

---

When Tashigi signed on, she realized that she had no leads on where Zoro was. "If he signed on, then he must have received my letters," she mused. "If he hasn't sent me a response by now, then it's no use." She sighed. "Why am I still looking for that idiot? I should have known better than to rely on a pirate." She walked down the street aimlessly, her armored feet plodding on the dirt heavily like the shoes of a horse. She found herself walking to Munetoshi's tavern.

She opened the door to the tavern, calling, "It's me, Munetoshi." She ran into someone in a great collision of clanging metal and curses. "Who the—" she exclaimed, looking indignant at the masked stranger who had collided into her.

"Tashigi?"

Zoro stared at her in a mix of surprise and trepidation. "You look…different," he stammered, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

Tashigi looked down and nodded in agreement. Her loose swordsman and ninja clothing had been replaced by pliable slate-blue metal armor that was layered in smooth scales over her body and that grew smaller around her arms and feet. Her light blue cape was fastened around her neck by tiny links, and she wore a circlet made of the blue steel that her armor was made of.

"What are you?" he asked, moving closer to her and tapping her armor experimentally. It rang with a clear chime.

"Me? I'm a paladin," she responded. Even her glasses had been upgraded to wrap around her eyes. "But more importantly…you just got reincarnated, huh?"

Zoro nodded. "Yeah. Kinda easy to tell, isn't it?" he said, gesturing to his new clothing.

He wore armor in a similar style to hers, although it was much heavier and tapered off into spikes at the ends. He wore a dark green cape that fastened to his shoulder guards, which also narrowed into claw-like spikes at the ends. The sheets of his armor were a green so dark that they were almost black; it was only in bright light and under careful scrutiny that she could see their true color. He wore a helmet that covered his entire face when the visor was down, as it had been when they had run into each other, and it was topped by spikes like a lionfish.

"Pretty cool, huh?" he exclaimed gleefully. "I'm an Obsidian Knight." He grinned happily despite himself, forgetting what he had been nervous about. He was reminded when Sanji kicked him in the back.

Tashigi laughed, coming closer to Zoro. "You know, Zoro…" she said softly, holding a hand softly to his face. He looked at her, eyes wide, as she grew furious and punched him in the face—the only place where there was no armor at the moment. "You just ignored my PMs, didn't you? You SAID we were going to keep up a correspondence you insensitive, horrible, capricious idiot!" She continued to hit him, sliding the armor over her knuckles so she could punch him with even more force.

Sanji watched this and winced when he saw the armor-plated fist collide with Zoro's face. "If he hadn't been such an idiot, then I'd almost feel sorry for him," he muttered, backing up slowly.

When Tashigi stopped, Zoro sat up slowly. His face was bleeding and bruised, and it looked like he was going to have a black eye or two. "I guess I deserved that," he mumbled sorrowfully. "Look, Tashigi, I'm really sorry, it's just that—"

"No excuses," Tashigi growled, cutting him off. "There's only one way to make up for it."

"…what is it?" he asked, looking nervous.

"Fight me," she said firmly. "Regardless of the outcome, if you fight me seriously then I will forgive you. You can give me your reasons later."

"Is that what you really want?" When she nodded, he gave in. "Alright. Let's do this. Ero-cook, go away. You'll start getting annoying, won't you?"

"You can't hit a lady, you—"

"Yep, definitely getting annoying."

"'Sanji' has been defeated."

Zoro stared at Tashigi as she wiped her sword calmly. "Shall we?" she said shortly, holding a hand out for him to help him stand.

"What the…aren't paladins supposed to be virtuous or something? That was really scary," he admitted. "I mean, you just _killed_ him without a second thought! What are you, woman?"

Tashigi looked at him balefully. "A woman scorned will allow nothing to get in her way. Now, let's fight."

---

A/N: Sanji's 'cool' debut will come at another time.


	12. The value of loyalty

A/N: This story is so much easier to write than "End of Seclusion." Baaah. Yes, I'm experiencing writer's block right now.

Tashigi's scary, isn't she?

---

Zoro and Tashigi faced each other in an open field, since Munetoshi had forbidden them from fighting in the city. As the wind swirled around, stirring their cloaks, Zoro felt a sense of déjà-vu. This scenery was just like the battle from the tournament. This is what it would have been like, had Cabaji not been a dirty little bastard. He scuffed the ground lightly with one armored foot, getting a feel for the soil and how it would affect the battle. He had learned enough skills with his new swords to get by, but was unsure of Tashigi's capabilities. Judging by the timestamp of her last letter, he knew that she must be a least several levels above him, if she had already reincarnated.

He saw the confidence in her eyes. This Tashigi was very different from the one that he had seen last time. Even her clumsiness seemed to be gone, to be replaced by a cool and calculating deadliness that _he did definitely not think was sexy! No! Lust dulls the blade!_ He drew his swords and was glad to see that Shuusui would not be encumbered by his helm. He swung the blades experimentally, finding that the armor was extremely flexible. He had just as good maneuverability now as he had had before.

Tashigi stood before him, her sword already drawn and held up.

"Are you ready?" she asked, voice low and menacing. Her sword moved up to block his sudden attack, fending off the triple strike and knocking the blades away. "You must not think of me as Tashigi. I am just another opponent. 'Pressure!'" she intoned, pointing her sword straight into the sky. Zoro looked up and just barely avoided being struck by a blazing cross that fell from the sky. The cross sizzled upon hitting the ground, incinerating the grass around it in an instant. Her entire body seemed to be infused with light as her sword swayed smoothly with the motions of her skill.

"So this is the power of a Paladin, huh?" he panted, swords held up for another attack. "'Cerberus's Fangs!'" An onslaught of shadowy hellhounds burst from the edges of his swords, like the formidable guard dog of Hell. His swords swung to aim at her sword arm, but she dodged and hit his swords away again.

"Roronoa Zoro, do not expect to beat me with such elementary skills," she declared. "'Zeus's Wrath!'" Her sword needled at him at an impossible speed, and it took all he had to defend himself. Nevertheless, he felt her strike him in the chest and abdomen, and he was glad that the armor he wore was so sturdy. "Perhaps it is unfair to fight a newly-reincarnated player who has been on a hiatus, but you must fight more seriously," she declared.

Zoro pushed the helm over his eyes, leaving the lower half open for Shuusui. "'Kage Oni Giri!'" he rumbled, thick waves of darkness flashing where his swords moved. The grass shriveled where the darkness reached, and he was sure that he must have hit her.

A powerful surge of light dispersed his attack, and he felt Sukenari and Sukenobu fly out of his hands. The dull end of her sword struck him in the chest and he fell to the floor; a heavily armored foot was planted squarely on his chest, and he felt her katana 'True Air' sliding his visor up, slowly scratching along his cheek and pushing Shuusui away. He could feel the pressure of her power—even with only a mere three levels between them—pushing against his chest, cutting his breathing short and making his head spin.

"I am satisfied now," she said slowly. She pulled her sword back and stood back, allowing him to stand. "You may tell me why you have been absent now."

Zoro sat up, grabbing his swords and putting them in their sheathes. "The day that we last parted, our ship was under attack by the Marines," he admitted. "When I went out there, my crew had already, um, taken care of them," he said, seeing her indignant look. "They said that they didn't need me for that kind of enemy, but still…the fact that I had neglected my duties to the crew was something that I couldn't ignore. In my resolve, I just…I was an idiot. I forgot to even send a message." He cleared his throat and stood slowly. "Will you forgive me?"

Tashigi looked at him gravely, but he could have sword that he saw a small smile playing around her lips. "Of course I will. We both have our own responsibilities. After all, I did just kick your ass." Her face broke into a wide smile. "It's too bad I can't take your swords, Roronoa Zoro."

He was about to answer with a biting retort when he heard shouting in the galley.

"Tashigi, I have to go, there's something going on," he said, hearing Luffy yell "Marines!"

"Zoro, I have to go, too. Promise me that you'll come back soon?" she asked, straining her ears as she heard a sailor reporting to her. Behind her, she could hear her men running down the hall onto the deck.

He smiled. "I promise," he said, signing out.

Zoro ripped the headset off and grabbed his swords, running out onto the deck where everyone was already congregated. He saw the enormous Marine battleship looming close to the Sunny and he drew his swords, preparing for battle.

"Maybe you should sit this one out, Zoro," Sanji suggested gently, without a hint of provocation. His voice was serious and almost apologetic.

"What the hell are you talking about, shitty cook?" Zoro snarled, unable to comprehend what could make the cook say something like that. Sanji had even addressed him by his proper name.

Sanji pointed to the Marine ship where sailors were already gathering at the rail, getting ready for battle.

Zoro saw the flash of a pair of red-rimmed glasses being clumsily put on just as their eyes met.

---

"A-are those the Straw Hat Pirates, Smoker-san?" Tashigi asked tremulously, trying to keep her voice from quivering. To think that, just moments ago, she'd been speaking with one of their members on friendly terms seemed almost surreal. "What are they doing on this part of the ocean?"

Smoker shrugged, pulling his jacket on. "Does it matter? Now that they're in our reach, we can capture them."

Tashigi watched the motley crew standing at the rails, save for the sniper and cyborg who were attending to the cannons. She saw that patch of green hair disappearing under a black bandanna, and she thought back to the dark helm that he had been wearing just moments before. She knew that in this scenario, he would be the stronger one if they were to fight.

"Smoker-san…"

He looked at her, eyebrows raised. She drew her sword resolutely.

"Today will be a grand battle."

He nodded in approval. _Now, her resolution is firm._

The Marine vessel pulled alongside the Sunny, closely enough for the two sides to reach one another.

---

"Zoro, are you going to be okay?" Sanji asked, coolly surveying the approaching vessel. Zoro nodded, jaw set determinedly, but Sanji could tell that Zoro was slightly unnerved. "Any lack of resolve will only dull your blade." Zoro didn't respond, but Sanji could feel that the other man was distracted.

"The Coup de Burst's going to need a little time to get ready, so we need you to keep them busy! Don't let them wreck the ship!" Franky's voice boomed over the intercom.

When the other ship was close enough, the two of them jumped onto it and let loose, followed closely by the rest of the crew. Luffy had run to Smoker, knowing that even if none of them stood a chance against the Logia user, that he still would be able to distract the other man. As Sanji kicked wave after wave of men off the ship, he found himself back-to-back with Zoro. Already, the swordsman was riddled with small cuts and grazes. Nothing serious, but it proved that the other man was distracted.

This was confirmed when Zoro didn't even notice the rifle pointed straight at his face as a sailor fired.

_Bang! Plick. Plick._

Zoro stared at the blood as it dripped onto the deck. Sanji's shoulder had been hit as he stood in front of Zoro, chest heaving in pain as his foot ground into the face of the marksman.

"Pay attention to your fucking surroundings, would you?" Sanji barked, doing a one-handed handstand to fend off another wave of men. "I'm not Luffy. I can only take so many bullets before I go down, you moron." He winced as he felt the sinews in his arm screaming in agony against the metal lodged in his torso.

Zoro shook himself mentally, his form improving drastically and his moves become much more natural. "Thanks…Sanji."

He turned around and found himself staring into that same pair of red-rimmed glasses.

"Roronoa Zoro."

"Tashigi."

The clash of their swords rent the air in two, creating a shockwave that pushed the surrounding fighters back. They exchanged blows quickly, Ittoryu versus Santoryuu. Tashigi felt herself tiring, cursing her stamina against his monstrous pool of energy. There were no tricks, no miraculous stunts or skills that would save her here. Here, there was only pure swordsmanship, and life or death.

_Clang._

Shigure flew and buried itself deep into the wood of the deck. She felt a hand grip her shoulder tightly. She saw a pair of eyes as black as night staring into her own that emitted waves of demonic power. She trembled under the sheer pressure of it, wondering if this was the day that she would die. She looked deep into those eyes without a shred of regret or remorse, knowing that this outcome was inevitable. Zoro looked to the side for a fleeting moment and saw Luffy fighting Smoker. It was a losing battle; none of the Paramecia's attacks were hitting their mark, and it would only be a matter of time until Smoker overwhelmed the other man. The other skirmishes going on seemed oblivious to the situation, save for one.

"Zoro!" Luffy yelled, seeing the situation.

"Tashigi!" Smoker roared as he turned around, extricating himself from Luffy to rush over.

_Splash._

A wave of blood flew into the air as Zoro held Tashigi's body steady. It was a clean cut, from the shoulder that he gripped to the other shoulder. Not quite as dramatic as Mihawk's slash had been, but it had done the job. Tashigi collapsed on the deck, her torn clothing fluttering like a white pennant of defeat, and Zoro could hear Smoker shouting as a wave of smoke enveloped his body.

He saw Tashigi's eyes looking up at him in disbelief, her mouth opening to say something. He never heard what it was, for that was when Smoker managed to crush him into unconsciousness.

"Zoro!"

---

"_Slight concussion after he fell. Broken ribs, bruises, internal bleeding. Might need to take a few of these pills for the next few days. Liquid diet; his organs can't handle anything solid right now. He'll be fine," Chopper said in relief._

"_Thank goodness," Nami breathed a sigh of relief._

"_Why did he do it?" Luffy asked in anguish. "Why…"_

"_Hush, Luffy. Wait until he's awake."_

Zoro opened his eyes and saw the crew gathered around his bed. He must not have been out for very long, for they were all still dirty and showed signs of injury. Some of them hadn't even been bandaged yet.

"What happened to Smoker?" he managed to hiss against a throat that felt tight and cottony. He looked at Luffy, but his captain's eyes were covered by a straw hat.

"Captain-san surprised the other man as he was suffocating you. He grabbed you and we all escaped using a Coup de Burst," Robin explained. "There really wasn't a better option against that kind of foe."

Luffy burst out, unable to control himself. "Why'd you do it, Zoro? That Marine woman…"

Zoro looked at his captain with steady eyes. "Why did I do what, captain?"

Luffy looked at him in outrage. "You killed her! She was your friend, wasn't she? You didn't have to kill her! She was disarmed, damnit!" He pounded his fists into the mattress.

Zoro looked at his captain almost fondly, despite Luffy's outburst. "We got away, didn't we?" he coughed.

"But you didn't _have_ to kill her!"

"If I hadn't done what I had done, then Smoker would have still been fighting you, and we all know that right now, none of us can take on a Logia until we know his weakness," Zoro rasped. "It gave you the ample distraction for you to take him down, so that we could escape."

---

A/N: And...this is the part you'll probably all hate me for....

Yes, this is the end of this chapter.

Sorry, eek! I was planning on putting the next scene in here, but decided...not to. It's more exciting this way, right?

Even in my head that sounds really twisted and awful.


	13. Happy New Year

A/N: This chapter will be a bit longer, because of descriptions of the other characters. And because it was a fun chapter.

And thank you for the reviews, everyone! Especially Santoryuu-Zoro (love you, man...or woman...I'm not really sure right now), Pamplemoose (constructive criticism=happy author. Very happy right now!), Primefan (I'll try to make it up to you this chapter!), and AHR.

---

Luffy's hands shook in fury as he drew a fist back. "So that's all she was to you? A distraction?"

"I didn't kill her," Zoro stated simply. He leaned back wearily, trying to swallow through his injuries.

"…what?" they all chorused.

"But, the blood!" Nami said. "You clearly cut across her chest, and we all saw the blood spraying."

Zoro smiled a little as he told them his story. "Nami, you inspired this action when you did this back at Cocoyashi Village…"

---

Smoker leaned wearily against the deck of his ship, surveying the damage. Most of his men had been pulled from the water, and it was at times like this that he was glad that there were still pirates out there who wouldn't kill their enemies unless absolutely necessary.

Well, except for one.

He looked sorrowfully at Tashigi's prone figure, wondering how it had all gone wrong. He had been trying to subdue Monkey D. Luffy while the pirate fought like a madman, and he had seen her fighting the Pirate Hunter. His men might have been struggling, but as long as the two officers were still standing, they still stood a chance. He turned away for a few moments, trusting in Tashigi's skill.

When he looked back at her, he saw that Roronoa Zoro, the one that she had spoken of with a forced aggression and hidden fondness, was holding her shoulder in one hand while his sword was poised for the final strike. Her back was to him, and Smoker could see that she was shaking slightly. He moved as quickly as he could, trying to stop Zoro. When he had seen Tashigi fall in a spray of blood, he simply went mad. His body billowing into smoke, and flowed rapidly to kill the other man. Unfortunately, Luffy had taken that time to punch him just as he was most vulnerable, and they had escaped in that infernal ship of theirs.

He hadn't looked at her closely yet. He wanted to wait, to be sure that he wouldn't go berserk again and start chasing the Thousand Sunny in a dinghy.

"Smoker-san?"

He jumped as she sat up, modestly covering her chest with her arms where the cloth had been shorn.

"Tashigi. You're…you're alive."

She nodded, wiping the blood away with one hand.

"I thought…that bastard…" Smoker said, incoherent for once.

She smiled softly, and he was shocked to see the hidden affection shining through. "He's really a very loyal man, you know," she said tenderly. She pulled the rip in the clothing just enough to expose her unmarred, pale skin. "Not a scratch on me."

"Do you mean to say…he did it just so the mugiwara brat could land a hit?"

"Yes, Smoker-san. He did do it for that man, knowing full well how a superior like you would react."

---

"You sliced through your own hand to spray the blood, just to distract Smoker?" Usopp said in shock. "Wow, I never thought I'd see anyone pull that off again."

Zoro held up his neatly-bandaged hand. "Here it is. I'd never let another swordsman injure my hands. To let a blade come past my defenses like that would be shameful."

Luffy hung his head, mumbling, "I'm sorry for doubting you, Zoro."

Zoro laughed as he rubbed his captain's head. "Well, if I wasn't convincing then it wouldn't have worked, right?"

---

As everyone continued to dote upon Zoro, Chopper coughed and made a signal with his hoof. Franky and Sanji left and returned quickly with…

"The GLGS?" Zoro said incredulously, looking at the little box that they were hooking up over his lap. "Why are you putting it in here?"

Chopper coughed slightly, going into his 'doctor mode.' "Because your injuries are mostly internal, I want you to rest until you're completely healed."

"Can't I rest out on the deck, then?" Zoro grumbled in annoyance, moving to push them away so he could stand. When he heard a click, he looked down and grew pale. Sanji sat at the foot of the bed, securing two chains that wrapped around Zoro's ankles and connected to the bed.

"Sorry, marimo," he said gleefully. His chest was bandaged, but he didn't seem to be too bothered by the gunshot wound. "Doctor's orders. Knowing you, you won't believe in an injury you can't see. So…have fun!" Everyone filed out laughing, save for one.

"I'll keep you company, Zoro," Luffy said, plugging into the game happily. Zoro grudgingly picked up the controls and began to play, too. The outside world faded away, and The World came into crystal-clear clarity once again.

Zoro looked around the field where he had last battled with Tashigi. "Where are you, Luffy?"

"Right here," Luffy said. Zoro jumped in surprise when he saw the rubberman.

"Luffy, don't tell me that you've already reincarnated?" he yelped, jumping back slightly. "What level are you?"

Luffy looked at him, tilting his head and picking his ear. "Only level 50. Why?"

"…what the hell," Zoro muttered, staring at Luffy. "When did you…?"

"Shishishi, it's pretty easy! Nami and I reincarnated at the same time. She's soo scary now. But I'm a karateka now. San-dan, or third degree. I go up a rank every four levels. Isn't it sugeee?" he cried, eyes sparkling. He wore crimson red karate uniform that was secured around the waist with a black belt with three golden bars stitched on it. A steel nunchaku was stuck into the belt and he wore a pair of supple, red leather gloves on his hands. The red tattoos that he had had as a brawler were still present, although they had grown to wrap around his neck and face in a spiraling pattern that were slightly similar to Sanji's. Zoro chuckled when he saw a straw hat hanging around Luffy's neck (Zoro had found that all he had had to do to wear his earrings was stick them to his ears). Luffy stopped gushing over his own appearance when he looked more closely at Zoro. "Hey, Zoro, you look different too."

"You just noticed?" Zoro couldn't quite believe that even Luffy wouldn't have noticed the drastic change in his attire, but…that was Luffy for you. "Wait, you said your rank rises with every four levels? What does that do?"

Luffy shrugged, fiddling with his belt. "Well, he said it's something about only having one class. But when it happens, I get so much stronger. Look!" He went on one knee and pulled his arm back, aiming towards the earth. "Earthquake!"

"Wait, Luffy, maybe you shouldn't—" Zoro said hastily, running backwards away from what he was sure would not be a pretty scene. When Luffy's fist struck the ground, the earth seemed to liquefy as the shockwave rumbled through the ground, turning the soil into extremely soft and fine loam. Luffy stood and brushed his clothes off, grinning widely.

"So, want to go fight some monsters or something?" he asked carelessly.

_What a monstrous power,_ Zoro thought with a shudder. "Er, Luffy, did that guy tell you why you only had one class?"

Luffy scratched his head, straining to remember. "Uhh, he said something about…well…I don't really remember!" When he stopped pushing himself to think, the wrinkles on his brow smoothed out in relief. "Ask Nami. She was there. C'mon, I'm just dying to beat up some 'Mountain Bears.' They're like, this big!" His arm shot up in the air as he tried to relay how large the monsters were. "They spawn in groups of five, too. It's so insane."

A roar split the air, interrupting him. Luffy's face brightened up at the prospect of a fight and he began running after the source of the noise. "That's their call. Let's goooo!"

They found the bears without much trouble. They had to trek to the mountain range that separated the City of Chrysanthemum from the neighboring cities, but the bears themselves were clearly visible from several hundred feet away. They lumbered around heavily, occasionally picking at the ground for roots. Zoro smiled a little when he saw them. They were kind of cute—like giant, ten feet tall teddy bears, with extremely rotund bodies and big, brown eyes that shone like liquid chocolate. Their fur looked extremely fuzzy. When they all looked up and sniffed the air, he saw the largest bear trudge up to Luffy, sniffing curiously. The bear reminded Zoro of Chopper, a little.

The bear flew across the ground when Luffy struck it with a "Spiraling Palm Thrust!" Zoro stared as the cuddly beasts became very dangerous, very quickly. Their fur bristled into sharp needles that definitely did not exist on real bears, and raking claws shot out of their fuzzy paws that matched the enormous incisors that were being bared. Those sweet brown eyes of theirs were now red with anger as they all attacked at once.

"Crap! 'Cerberus's Fangs!'" Zoro yelled, slashing the first bear across its face. The beast roared as it reared up and clipped him slightly across the face. The sheer force behind it made him fly back, wondering how it would feel to receive the full force of such an attack. He saw Luffy laughing giddily as the rubberman dealt blow after heavy blow to the monsters.

"Oy, Luffy—'Clover Spike!'—can we form a party or something? 'Hydra's Breath!' I could use a little help here!" Zoro yelled, using attack after attack against the onslaught of bears. Although there were only five bears (three of which were attacking Luffy), a two-to-one battle against such large monsters was not very fun. Zoro sighed in relief when he joined Luffy's party, feeling himself level up when he received experience from Luffy after he had dispatched one of the bears.

When the last bear had been dispatched, Zoro leaned heavily against the tree in weariness.

"Ooh, there's another group of bears! Let's go, Zoro!" Luffy cried, already running after the next spawning in excitement. Zoro grabbed him and held up back, pointing to his wounds pointedly.

"I need to heal up a bit first, Luffy," he groaned.

"Hrmph. Stop acting like an old man. I know!" Luffy pulled his headset off and looked around. He saw Chopper sitting at his table, making medicine for Zoro's injuries. "Chopper! Wanna play?"

"Okay!" It wasn't long until the little reindeer joined them. Zoro's jaw dropped when he saw Chopper.

"Was I the last one to be reincarnated?" Zoro demanded. Chopper now wore the billowing robes of a High Priest that were a light pink in hue, with a cross at his neck that secured his long robes around him. The cross theme ran rampant across all of his clothing, creating a myriad of patterns. Although his fuzzy face had no tattoos, the hair on his face was in the shape of a pink cross that ran down his nose and across his eyes. The robe was buttoned down his chest, leaving only the light brown slacks to the open. Chopper raised his arms, chanting "Curaga!" (A/N: I love Final Fantasy) Zoro jumped as he felt his wounds knitting back together and his fatigue fading away. It was an odd, but exhilarating sensation.

"I think you were the last," Chopper said, covering his mouth as he giggled. "But you look so cool, Zoro!" The healer fawned over Zoro with sparkling eyes.

Zoro cracked his neck, before they lunged at the next spawning of 'Mountain Bears.'

---

The City of Chrysanthemum had never seen so many reincarnated players at one time. As a city near the beginning of The World, where many newer players tended to congregate while the more experienced players were inclined to travel further into The World and become more experienced before reincarnating.

Nami loomed over Zoro, Luffy, and Chopper, who she had found yelling in the infirmary and being extremely rowdy. She had plugged into the game herself and beat them all up for being so noisy when "Zoro was supposed to be resting!" She wore a glimmering set of mage's robes that fit her Windwalker class. The light, pastel orange silk was embroidered with gold threads so thin and fine that the designs seemed to shimmer under the light. The robes flowed loosely down to her knees, but did nothing to conceal the vivid orange and white bodice she wore. The tattoos on her face were unchanged, but new ones had been imprinted in spirals around her eyes and along her temple. A look at the fist being shaken at them revealed more looping spirals that ran down her forearms to converge into a sunburst on her palms. An ash-wood pole topped with a yellow crystal that was secured to the pole by gold casing was flourished in her other hand.

"Nami, we're doing _exactly_ what you told us to do!" Zoro protested, his helm pushed down to protect his face from her wrath. "I'm sitting on the bed, getting fat, just like you wanted!"

"Shut up! You guys were jostling and jumping around in your excitement. The chains on your legs had been _snapped_ and you were moving around like Luffy! _Silence!_" she growled, one hand glowing. The three of them clawed at their mouths, trying to dispel her spell. "_Blizzara!"_ Ice shot from her hands, to form bands around their torsos that kept them still. "I'll let you all go if you swear that you'll stop moving around so much in the real world. Oh, Chopper, by the way," she said, "Zoro seems to be bleeding from his mouth. You should probably check up on that."

"Eek!" Chopper immediately signed out and began to tend to the swordsman until he was back in a stable condition, and then signed back on. "Internal bleeding, you know."

"Oy, shouldn't you be more worried about that? Not that I mind, but you usually go crazy over my injuries," Zoro protested weakly.

Usopp chuckled. "Ah, does Zoro want to be pampered by the doctor? Maybe we should get that Marine girl to be his nurse, eh?"

"'Usopp' has been defeated."

They waited patiently until Usopp ran back. "That was dirty, Zoro!" he yelled, the force of his words dissipating when he hid behind Nami. The gunslinger had been reincarnated into Assassin Sniper, and Zoro had to admit that the long-nosed man looked kind of cool (although he didn't like that even Usopp had reincarnated before he had). Usopp's eyes were shielded by sunglasses that doubled as scopes that were sleek and black to prevent light from being an impediment to his aim. He wore a russet turtleneck that was covered by a black leather vest, with small pockets and compartments for his bullets. A gun was holstered on each side of his hips, and his baggy cargo pants seemed to hide many more. A light machine gun was strapped to his back that vaguely reminded Zoro of Hiruma. Heavy combat boots were on his feet, while thin, auburn leather gloves with the fingers cut off were on his hands. Zoro could see black bands wrapping around Usopp's exposed fingers that made thin patterns on his digits.

"So, what should we do now?" Zoro asked, looking around at his crew. They all turned to him with a sharp looks in their eyes. He took a single step back from the sheer weight of their gazes.

"Isn't it obvious, swordsman-san?" Robin chided him gently. "You must seek out your Tashigi and speak to her." The purple robes she had worn as a mage were replaced by a Nightshade's overcoat that was such a dark plum color that it appeared to be black. Purple leather boots ran up her slim calves, and her creamy thighs were covered by black leather shorts that barely ran down her thighs. A violet top was visible under her coat. The violet triangles on her face were mimicked on the apex of her collarbone and the palms of her hands.

Zoro looked around at their unyielding faces and sighed.

"Alright, I'll go find her." He ran off into the city away from the group.

"Do you think he'll find her?"

"If he's looking for her while running willy-nilly like that, he might be lucky and find her by accident."

"Of course he'll find her," Sanji declared with absolute confidence. "Love conquers even his lack of direction!"

---

Zoro dashed through the streets, avoiding the strange and admiring looks he received from the other players. He only realized now just how unusual it was to see a player who had reincarnated in this city, and felt oddly self-conscious. He stopped, taking his bearings, and heard the clanking of someone wearing armor running by. Darting through alleyways while following the sound, he ran into Tashigi again for the second time in so many days. Zoro's visor fell down with a _clunk,_ and he was glad that he wore protection on his head after he had run headlong into the other person…who hadn't been so lucky.

"You!" they chorused, turning red. Zoro pushed the spiky cover from over his eyes and winced as he saw Tashigi rubbing a bleeding cut from when his helmet had sliced through her skin when they ran into each other. He offered her a Health Potion, which she drank gratefully as her cut faded away.

Zoro coughed to cover his mortification as they both stood.

"Want to sit down?" he offered. She took him up on his offer gratefully. They sat awkwardly beside each other on a wooden bench that was situated conveniently nearby against a wall.

"So…" Tashigi began slowly, her voice agonizingly deliberate.

"What are we going to do?" Zoro blurted out. "I mean, what are we?"

"What do you mean, 'what are we?' We're friends, aren't we?" she said. "Even if I'm a Marine and you're a pirate."

He felt something twinge in his chest when she said that. A 'twinge' akin to the one he had felt when reincarnating.

"Friends, huh?" he repeated softly, tearing his eyes from hers and looking at the pale blue sky (some mischievous administrator had programmed the clouds to form heart shapes). "Uh, well…" His eyes flitted around desperately, looking for a distraction, and fell upon a bright red poster on the wall opposite to them.

"Well?"

"Let's go to the Lunar New Year Celebration!" he shouted, far too enthusiastically and loudly. Tashigi winced and rubbed her ear in annoyance.

"I'm not deaf. What is this celebration?"

(A/N: Lunar (Chinese) New Year was actually on Monday. But I forgot about it until today, so…oh well)

"I suppose it's just a festival that's going to be held tomorrow from noon to midnight. It should be fun, right? That's what friends do, right?" He looked at her imploringly, eyes wide in desperation.

"Well, I suppose that is what friends would do. You have friends, right? What do you do with them?" she asked curiously.

He looked at her strangely. "Well, I never really had a friend—except for Kuina, but she was a rival. Luffy and those other idiots aren't really my friends, either…they're nakama." He scratched his head in confusion. "I don't think I've had what you could call a normal friend."

She smothered her pity quickly, knowing that he wouldn't like it. "Ah…I see. Well, then, I would love to do that!" she said enthusiastically.

They promised to meet the next day at noon at the City Square.

---

The City Square was unrecognizable. When Zoro signed on the next day (accompanied by his crew, who had insisted on coming along as well) he gaped as he took in the sights. He could see giant posters emblazoned with pictures of the ox (this year's animal) amidst red banners and fluttering confetti. Whirling dancers paraded down the streets and spun around the fountain in the middle of the city, wearing bright costumes with strange masks and waving batons. Lanterns were strung from building to building in a rainbow of colors to be lit later that night. The buildings themselves had been altered to look like pagodas and ancient Chinese architecture.

Zoro looked around, trying to find Tashigi in all the commotion. He found her when he saw the tell-tale flash of her armor in the sun, looking at a round box full of steamed dumplings.

"Having fun pigging out?" Zoro yelled over the sound of a nearby marching band. She looked up and scowled mockingly.

"I'm not pigging out, Roronoa! I'm just looking!" she protested. "They say that there are some event-specific items that you can get at festivals like this. I'm dying to see what I can get."

"I see that you've abandoned the cat ears," Zoro teased.

She pouted slightly. "I liked those cat ears, but they're not compatible with the Paladin class. Ooh, look! You're supposed to wear red for good luck, apparently. These good-luck charms would be good…but they're so expensive," she gasped, looking at the price. "I couldn't possibly get one of these."

They walked on, taking in the sights and occasionally sampling the food. Zoro saw Sanji in the distance, trying to get one of the NPCs to tell him how to make the dim sum. Luffy, Usopp and Chopper were all goofing off as usual, and Nami and Robin were looking over the fitted red dresses that were on display. It was just like a normal day on the Grand Line.

"Hey, isn't that your Commander?" Zoro asked Tashigi, tugging her arm and pointing into the crowd. Indeed, Smoker was at the festival, and he was accompanied by a surprising companion.

"Hey, Zoro! Is my brother around?" Ace called jovially, pulling Smoker by the arm in a similar fashion to Zoro's with Tashigi. "Smoky-chan, look! Your favorite pirate crew!"

"Portgas…" Smoker grumbled, looking rather ticked off. "I don't want to talk to them. Oh. Tashigi." He caught sight of Zoro. "You!"

Zoro stuck his tongue out at Smoker. "You almost killed me, you know."

Smoker flushed and sputtered angrily. "You could have killed her, you moron!"

"My control is much better than you think."

"You're an ass."

"Smoky-chan, I thought that was my pet name?"

"You're an ass, too."

"Ace!"

"Luffy!" Brotherly love and hugs commenced. "'Monkey D. Luffy' and 'Portgas D. Ace' have gained (1) Amiability Point."

"That Marine guy?"

"Mellorine!"

"Oh, my."

"Do you think that he and Ace…oh! Robin, look at that 'A' on his chest!"

"Shut up, woman!"

"Hey, Marine asshole, no one talks to Nami-san that way."

"'Sanji' has lost (50) HP."

"'Smoker' has lost (300) HP."

"Damn, this damned pirate is too strong…!"

"Don't worry, Smoky-chan, I'll protect you!"

Zoro looked at the chaos unfolding before them and grabbed Tashigi's hand to pull her close.

"Let's find somewhere quiet, shall we?" he murmured into her ear, sending slight shivers down her spine. She looked up at him and nodded; they retreated into the (relatively) calmer crowds of the festival. As they walked, they saw a plume of smoke and flame rising where they had just left, as well as a column of heart-infested energy that could only be Sanji.

"Uh, Zoro?"

"Mm?"

"You can let go of my hand now. I mean, unless you think you're going to get lost."

"…." His hand felt cold after her warmth had disappeared.

The two of them continued to explore the city-wide festival. When night finally fell and the first lamps were lit, a whole new element was added to the event. The dancers found burning bamboo sticks that they danced with, to create a whirlwind of strange dances. Alleyways were crowded with sensual kisses shared under the rising moon—was that a flash of fire and smoke again?—and vendors were bringing out new wares. The loudspeakers distributed around the area began to boom, "Fireworks will commence in precisely one hour."

"Fireworks, huh?" Tashigi mused. "Where are you going, Zoro?"

He ran off into the mass of stalls and people calling over his shoulder, "I'll be right back! Wait for me at the highest point in the city!"

Tashigi shrugged. She was used to his eccentricities. The bell tower ended up being the highest point in the city, so she walked over there and climbed up the many flights of stairs to the belfry. She found that the view was astonishing. A blanket of lights spread across the city, giving it an exotic and ancient feel. She jumped when she heard someone treading softly behind her.

"Relax. It's just me." Zoro's face loomed out of the shadows, and it didn't help that his Obsidian Knight clothing made him look a bit scary.

"The fireworks are about to start," she said. The bell rang harshly in their ears as she said those words. "Did we have to meet here?" she yelled over the clanging bells.

"Yeah! It's more—" he responded, but his words were drowned out by the sound of the bells. When the ringing receded, he turned to her with a slight blush on his face. She chuckled; his expression was a mix of embarrassed, determined, and downright damned.

"What were you saying?" she asked again.

"Ooh, look! Fireworks!" he said, pointing. She looked and saw the first fiery burst of sparks in the air.

---

Smoker wandered through the streets, looking for Ace. "Portgas, where the hell are you?" he growled angrily.

"Smoky-chan!"

"What? Where are you?" Smoker demanded, his body forming into smoke as he rose above the buildings.

"Above you!"

Smoker looked up and saw what he thought was another firework. He colored in mortification when the flames in the sky continued to grow, spelling out a clear and explicit message for everyone to see.

"SMOKER AND ACE 4EVER! XOXO! SMOKY-CHAN, I WANT TO #$%^*$--" The last words were blotted out when Smoker dashed through the air to smother the words.

"Mm, taisa, that feels _good_," Ace moaned.

"Get the hell out of the sky, you brat! This is not a good way to start the new year!" Smoker roared, trying to drag Ace out of the sky.

---

When the last of the fireworks had finished (Ace's little display had drawn out bubbling laughter from both swordsmen), Tashigi sighed contentedly.

"This was really fun, Zoro," she cooed, stretching her arms wide. They had been sitting against the brick wall of the bell tower for the entire show, and it was not particularly comfortable.

"Hey, Tashigi," Zoro said, an odd look on his face. He rummaged in his pocket and held something out to her, looking down at the city as he did so. "This is for you."

"What is it…oh my…you didn't?" She held one of the good luck charms that she had wanted earlier in the day. "But this must have cost a fortune! The stat boost that these offer is enormous! You should keep it for yourself!"

Zoro grinned, holding up a matching charm. The red silk gleamed dully in the faint light, and she could see a symbol sewn on the charm in gold thread. "Already got one."

"You bought _two?_ How did you afford it?"

Zoro shrugged. "Mountain Bears drop a lot of gold, especially if a conniving witch isn't there to take it," he said. He fastened his charm to his waist, next to his three swords.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has gained (20) points in all stats."

Tashigi looked at the charm in her hand and finally fastened hers to her belt, next to True Air.

"'Tashigi' has gained (20) points in all stats."

"Thank you…Zoro," she said softly. "I really appreciate this."

Zoro stood, brushing himself off. "It's pretty late. I guess it's time to get back to the others?"

"Yeah, you're right." She began to stand, but found an armored hand thrust in front of her face. The hand connected to an arm to a shoulder to a neck to a burning face that was flushed with embarrassment. She smiled and took his hand.

When they found everyone else, they were still holding hands.


	14. Cosplay

Dawn found the Straw Hat Crew sleeping lustily, as everyone recuperated from the battle with the Marines. The sun rose slowly, as though it was giving the pirates a few more moments of blessed sleep before having to wake up. One member of the crew was already away—Sanji refused to let the most important meal of the day be neglected, and he was always up before the sun to make sure that the first meal was delicious. Robin joined him, sipping on the mug of coffee he always poured minutes before she entered. She was soon joined by Nami, who was reading the newspaper.

When Luffy and the other boys barreled into the galley, that was when the day truly began.

"Lightly buttered croissants and spinach omelets with a sprinkle of cheese and freshly chopped tomatoes on top," Sanji crooned, placing two daintily arranged plates in front of Nami and Robin. "Here," he growled to the rest of them, dumping an enormous pan full of fried eggs and bacon in front of them. "Here's toast, too," he continued, placing a large basket full of hot loaves of bread on the table. He went to the stove and carefully ladled thin anchovy broth into a large bowl. "Chopper, I'm taking the invalid his meal."

"Tell me that isn't soup," Zoro said immediately upon spying Sanji. "I've been drinking so much soup that I feel like my innards are going to become liquid soon."

"Eat it. It's delicious," Sanji insisted, shoving the bowl in front of the unwilling swordsman. "I made it _especially _for you."

"Only because Nami asked you to," Zoro shot back, reluctantly gulping down a spoonful of the broth. He wouldn't deny that it was indeed delicious—the chef even varied the broths that he gave Zoro, to relieve the monotony—but it was still just liquid. He wanted a hunk of meat to sink his teeth into, or even just a mouthful of rice. He finished the broth and made a face pointedly at the cook.

"Alright, alright, I'll ask Chopper if you can be upgraded to solids." Sanji left and returned a few minutes later with an amused look on his face. "The doctor says that you can eat certain solids now."

"Yes!"

"…such as gruel, porridge, applesauce, jelly, yogurt, pudding…" Sanji went on.

"I'm not an infant," Zoro grumbled.

"You certainly take enough naps to undermine that argument."

"…shut up."

"If you're done eating, I've got dishes to do. You're going on dish duty as soon as you get better, you cabbage head."

---

Zoro and Tashigi walked through the mountain pass that would lead them to the next city—the City of Sakura. Tashigi chattered on about all attractions the city had to offer, lamenting the fact that no sakura blossoms would be falling during this time. Zoro listened patiently, watching in amazement as even when they were fighting monsters, she was still light-hearted and cheerful.

"You sure are happy today," he remarked, slicing through a rogue Mountain Bear that had decided to attack them away from its group.

She beamed at him, looking at the items that the bear had dropped. "Ooh, a 'Mountain Bear Fang!'"

"What does that do? Do you just sell it?" he asked curiously.

She looked at him in utter shock. "Fangs are the rarest drops for monsters! Claws, fur, and feathers are pretty common, but fangs almost never drop."

"…and this is relevant because…?"

"You can make a special item if you collect a fang from the highest-level monster in each monster subclass! These Mountain Bears are the strongest bears in the game. The other animals would probably be tigers and dragons and so on, but I'm not sure which one we'll encounter next."

"Like this?" Zoro reached into his Inventory and pulled out the 'Tundra Wolf Fang' that he had picked up (A/N: See Chapter 5).

She squealed as she saw the claw, but covered her mouth in embarrassment as he raised an eyebrow.

"…that was kind of…" he mumbled.

"What?"

"…cute."

The rest of the walk was conducted in mortified silence from both sides.

---

The City of Sakura was famous in The World for many things. First and foremost—the history. The administrators had built the city to resemble a city that was famous for its culture and the arts. Exhibits, museums, art shows, and the like were all the rage. As a result of all of this art, a black market had developed in the city that thrived not only on jewels and precious ornaments but weapons and other items as well. The flourishing black market was where many of the characters of a more dubious nature met. One would be led to believe that this would make the city exciting.

"This is really boring."

"Well, I didn't know that you wouldn't be interested in the katana exhibit they have over here."

"If I can't use them, I don't care."

"What about the tea ceremony?"

"…ugh…"

"The museum of abstract art?"

"Listen, Tashigi. If I wanted to be bored enough for my brain fluid to run down my ears, then I'd definitely be all for it. But I want to do something that pumps adrenaline in my system."

"Tsk, fine…"

As they walked around the city, looking for an NPC in need of help or an interesting activity, Zoro suddenly stopped, peering down an alleyway.

"What's up?" she inquired, looking in the same direction. She saw another player scuttling quickly down the alleyway, looking around in all directions.

Definitely suspicious.

"Remember what that Uzumaki idiot told us? About the City of Sakura having a great black market?" Zoro replied, a look of excitement breaking through his boredom. "Looks like we just might find it." He immediately ran after the other player, dragging Tashigi behind him.

The narrow space between two tall buildings was empty; there wasn't even a side door to the neighboring buildings. Zoro walked silently, making sure that his armor didn't make a single sound. They walked until they met a plain wooden door; otherwise, it was a dead end. Zoro tested the door, finding that there were no visible knobs or handles. Tashigi pushed him aside and rapped smartly on the wooden surface. A thin slit at eye-level was slid open, revealing a pair of dark eyes.

"Who're you?" a stern voice demanded.

"We're here to buy," Zoro replied, just as gruffly. "Open up, or we'll cut our way through."

The pair of eyes surveying them had looked dubious when Tashigi had stepped up, but crinkled with laughter upon spying Zoro. "Come on in." The door opened, and the duo slipped through quietly. It shut without a slight thud, leaving them in yet another narrow space.

"Damn, couldn't you have invested in some breathing space?" Zoro groused. The man who had opened the door chuckled, his prodigious moustache bristling slightly under his glasses as he laughed.

"It'll get better. I had been apprehensive when I saw a _Paladin, _of all people, trying to get in. But if she's in the company of an Obsidian Knight, then she must be in the right place. Please, continue down this passage." The man bowed, gesturing down the hall.

"Hrmph," Zoro snorted as they walked on. "What do you think he meant by that? About our classes."

Tashigi chuckled when he asked. "The classes that we were offered at reincarnation weren't just based on our previous stats and classes, you know. I mean, there are certain classes that are only attainable through certain routes, but it also depends on your personality. Paladins are supposed to be virtuous, or something. I'm guessing that Obsidian Knights are a darker edge of the blade, neh?"

"After seeing you wipe out Sanji, I'm surprised that you were really a Paladin."

"He had it coming to him."

They reached the end of the hall to find a large warehouse filled with rows and rows of merchandise. The players gathered here were of a dubious nature—Zoro could only pick out a few of the classes, but it was enough to generalize to the whole population. An Assassin was sorting through a basket full of what appeared to be poisoned caltrops (Zoro thought back to his own ninja supplies with regret—he hadn't had time to experiment with them very much, since they weren't compatible with his new class). A Night Elf was examining cages full of what appeared to be tiny, vicious gnomes sporting sharp teeth. A Nightshade was looking at a dark purple crystal in the light that matched the violet shades of her clothing.

"Robin?" Zoro yelped, recognizing the last figure. Indeed, the shapely magic user was shopping here.

"Oh, swordsman-san. What a pleasant surprise," she greeted them genially, placing the crystal back on the soft velvet it had been sitting on and waving to them. All eyes in the room turned to look at them, and Tashigi flushed when they all seemed to stare at her.

"A Paladin? What the hell was the gatekeeper thinking?"

"That's an Obsidian Knight, though. Never seen one of those before."

"Kind of looks like a Dragoon, doesn't he? But he uses swords, not spears…"

"Still, a _Paladin?"_

"Best finish up quick, then."

The whispers that spread around the room did not fail to conceal their words effectively, and Tashigi covered her face. It was like being singled out as a Marine amongst pirates.

Come to think of it, all these people probably _were_ pirates in the real world.

"So, swordsman-san, are you on a date?"

"…we're just looking around."

"Oh, of course, how presumptuous of me. I'll just be going, then…have fun." She winked slyly before turning around and leaving.

"Damned woman," he muttered under his breath. "C'mon, let's see what they have to offer." The two swordsmen predictably homed in on the weapons that were for sale.

"These are all splendid blades, but not nearly as good as 'True Air,'" Tashigi mused, drawing a blue blade that sparked upon contact with the air. "Do you think we'll find our old swords here?"

"No idea. But the swords that we got from that tournament seem like they'll last us a while. I doubt that the stupid Pirate Hunter will let go of Wado Ichimonji or Sandai Kitetsu, anyway." Zoro tensed as he felt someone place a hand of his shoulder and immediately drew his swords, letting them rest against the throat of the stranger who had come up from behind.

"Ara ara, that's dangerous," the man said with a smile peeking out from under a green and white bucket hat. "I believe you were mentioning Wado Ichimonji and Sandai Kitetsu?"

Zoro slowly lowered his blade, keeping his defenses up. "And what if I was?"

"I just thought that it was such an odd coincidence that you would mention that. Fact is, a fellow came in a few days ago wearing three swords. Things like that stick out, you know. Someone offered to buy the blades from him—all very fine quality, very fine!—but he refused adamantly. He said something about how it would affect his image."

Zoro stiffened as Tashigi smothered a soft gasp behind him. "Who was it?" Zoro asked, feigning nonchalance.

"He called himself the Pirate Hunter."

"Aha!" Zoro cried. "Knew it! Old man, do you know where he went?"

The man tapped his wooden sandals on the floor, his black coat swishing slightly with the movement. "I'm not that old, you know," he pouted. "But he said he was going to stick around the city for another week. We're holding an auction in two days, you know? We'll only be selling the best items there."

"Where is this going to be held?" Tashigi asked politely.

The man raised his eyebrows at her appearance, but responded just as courteously. "It will be held in this room. Of course, it will be revamped and remade to accommodate the participants, but if you have already come then you should have no problem coming back again."

"Ah, thanks, mister," Zoro said in relief. "Are you a regular customer here?"

The man laughed airily. "Me? I'm just a mere honest, handsome, perverted businessman. My name is Urahara. Kisuke Urahara. Nice to meet you…?" he said, waiting for their names.

"Zoro. Roronoa Zoro," Zoro supplied shortly.

"Tashigi. Pleasure to meet you."

"Zoro-kun, is it? You would be wise to be careful around the Pirate Hunter. His level is nothing to be sneezed at. One Warlock tried to take his swords forcefully. The remains…" Urahara led them to a row filled with jars of strange animals and unidentifiable items. He picked up a jar with a severed head floating inside. He held it in front of them, and they saw that the gruesome item was labeled as "Warlock's Head."

"That's disgusting," Tashigi groaned. "You have a strange following, Zoro."

"Shut up! I don't know why he does what he does!" Zoro snapped.

"Oooh!" Urahara crowed as he stared at Zoro. "You look just like him!"

"_You mean he looks just like ME, right?"_ Zoro snarled, grabbing Urahara by the front of his robes. "Because I'm the bloody original, damnit!"

"You've never heard of cosplay?" Urahara asked in surprise. "It's all the rage in The World right now."

"What the hell is that?" Zoro growled. Urahara led them to yet another aisle filled with racks of clothing.

"Is that a French maid's outfit?" Tashigi asked curiously.

"What, cat ears weren't enough?" Zoro teased, turning to cover the slight flush spreading across his cheeks. _Tashigi, in a French maid outfit?_ he thought hazily. _Sugoi._

"'Roronoa Zoro' has lost (2) Virtue Points."

"What the hell?" Zoro mumbled to himself. "I didn't even _do_ anything!"

"Pervert. Whatever you were thinking, you're a pervert," Tashigi said.

"Yes, that is a French maid outfit," Urahara interrupted. "But more importantly is this." He pulled over a shelf of clothing, and Zoro's jaw dropped. "Special Edition, Straw Hat Pirate Crew costumes! Here is the classic and simple Monkey D. Luffy outfit! A red vest with denim shorts. Straw hat not included. The oh-so-classy Black Leg Sanji suit, with the standard blue tie. Normally, people cosplay as fictional characters, but your crew is so famous that Straw Hat attire is acceptable at cosplay events."

"This is so bizarre. Shit…" Zoro muttered, pacing back and forth. "What does mine look like?"

Urahara shrugged. "Unfortunately, we're clean out of Roronoa Zoro attire. Normally, it would consist of a white shirt, black pants and bandana, and green haramaki. It's quite a popular item, you know."

---

A/N: I'm cutting it off here because I'm just going to go straight into the next scene in the next chapter. This chapter was not that dynamic or anything, but let's just say that it's a light transitional chapter.

Coincidentally, I considered doing a Tashigi cosplay at Anime Expo last summer, but I didn't want to cut my hair, so I did a Nanao Ise one instead…just a bit of random information.


	15. Pirate Hunter

A/N: Maaah, this chapter was delayed. The inspiration just hasn't been coming, sadly. Sorry, readers -.-

---

_This is it,_ Zoro thought impatiently. _I'm finally going to find that bastard._

"Zoro, you've got a really scary look on your face," Usopp said. His sunglasses flashed in the artificial light of the warehouse, and he looked around nervously. "Are you sure this is okay, though? There are a lot of shady looking people around here."

"I told you not to come, you idiot," Zoro snapped. "None of you were supposed to be here!"

Sanji flicked a match as he lit a cigarette. "Quiet, marimo. We're here to help you."

"I don't need your help."

"Well then, I'm helping the mademoiselle."

"Oh my gosh, Usopp, look! That guy has _horns!_ Sugeee!" Luffy whooped, clapping his hands in delight. The Blood Orc in question grunted and nodded in greeting as he—or she?—walked past.

_How did these idiots find out?_ Zoro groaned to himself. _Oh yeah, it was Robin._ She had planted an ear on him after she had left, and after hearing about the Pirate Hunter, she had apparently thought that it would be helpful to have the entire crew along to help him, just in case. _I always knew that woman was evil. EVIL._

They were all seated in the now-empty warehouse where the black market had been stationed. Rows of chairs were situated in front of a squat platform where many of the items that were to be on sale were displayed. Two men who looked just as grumpy as Zoro himself were guarding the goods; they were the same class, but Zoro couldn't identify the black robes that they wore. Even from this distance, he could hear them arguing. The one with the long red hair and sunglasses was arguing with his orange-haired partner.

"Hey Zoro, they kind of remind me of you and Sanji," Nami giggled. "Strong, but bull-headed and argumentative."

"Ah, Nami-san, you break my heart by comparing me to that ape," Sanji moaned.

"Ohohoho, Zoro-kun, you came with your friends? How wonderful!" Urahara tittered from behind Zoro. Zoro jumped in shock (how had he not sensed the man standing there?) but coughed slightly to cover his surprise.

"Oh. Hey, Urahara. This is my crew," he said curtly.

"Ah, yoroshiku," Urahara said courteously. "My name is Urahara Kisuke." Introductions commenced.

"Any information on the Pirate Hunter yet?" Zoro asked Urahara, Before the other man could respond, Tashigi trotted up to them.

"Ah, sorry I'm late! I had to finish some paperwork for Smoker-san," she panted, catching her breath.

"Thanks for finishing that for me, Tashigi," a deep voice said from behind her.

"Eep! Smoker-san! What are you doing here?" she squeaked in alarm.

Smoker grumbled incoherently as he dragged Ace from behind him. "This idiot wanted to come along. Seems like he's familiar with this place."

"Hey, you guys!" Ace greeted them cheerfully. "What a coincidence!"

"Oh, Zoro," Tashigi said. "I have a little information on the Pirate Hunter. It seems as though he travels with one other player. I'm surprised that they have managed to stay inconspicuous, especially with the power that they possess, but they are very good at covering their tracks."

"Any idea what he looks like?" Zoro asked.

"None. Not even a class. Apparently he hasn't reached his second reincarnation though, so that gives us a bit more of a chance against him."

"Urahara! Get over here, it's time to start!" The black-robed man with the orange spiky hair yelled.

"Ah, of course! It's time to start the auction," Urahara said happily. "I hope you guys buy a lot~!" He walked to the stage, cheerfully swinging his cane.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Semiannual Sakura Auction will now commence! Please take your seats," the man with the red hair shouted.

As everyone sat, Zoro looked around sharply for anyone that fit the descriptions that he'd found in bits and pieces throughout his journey in The World. Unfortunately, many of the people here had already chosen a second class, and most of their outfits included headgear. He was glad that his helm covered his own green hair.

"Look for people who seem intimate," Tashigi murmured to him out of the side of her mouth. "Most of the people are here individually, so it shouldn't be too hard."

Unfortunately, with so many people in attendance, it was nigh impossible to pick out any band of players that was particularly chummy.

"Renji-kun, if you will? What we have here, folks, is genuine 'gikongan.' The vernacular term for it is 'soul candy.' If you consume it, your player will go on 'auto-play' and indiscriminately slaughter every living thing in a fifty foot radius of your original position. It's great for leveling up when you're feeling lazy! The starting bid is 100 gold for a pack of five!" Urahara cried, holding up a small capsule that looked vaguely like a candy dispenser.

As the bidding went on, Zoro caught a flash of green out of the corner of his eye.

"There. Tashigi. 3 o'clock," he whispered.

"Which one?"

"The Mercenary. How cliché."

"Hush. Don't make a ruckus. We'll approach him after the auction is over."

As they watched the man, they saw Urahara bring out a box full of clothing. He lifted a piece and Zoro groaned audibly when he saw it.

"Ah, this is a treat! One of our sources has nabbed a genuine Roronoa Zoro cosplay outfit! How could you pass up this opportunity?" Urahara crowed, glancing at Zoro in amusement. "The starting bid is 200 gold!"

"250!"

"250 to the Samurai! Any bids for 300?"

"350 gold."

"Ah, 350 for the Mercenary."

"Oh, god," Zoro whispered. "The Pirate Hunter is bidding on my clothes."

---

"This is boooring, Zoro," Luffy whined piteously. "Let's go hunt some monsters or something."

"Quiet, Luffy, it's almost over," Zoro hissed. "I'll buy you some meat if you hush."

"Yay!"

"In the game, though. I don't have any beri, but I have a shitload of gold."

"Oh, really?"

"Oi! My debt doesn't count towards you in The World, you witch!"

"_Silence,"_ Tashigi murmured, and they all found that their voice boxes were rendered soundless.

_What did you do?!_ Zoro signed, waving his arms frantically. Nami looked just as panicked—if she couldn't speak, then she couldn't cast the counterspell.

"Oh, didn't you know, Zoro? Paladins can cast certain spells for White Magic," Tashigi said sweetly. "I can do basic incantations for Cure and Esuna (A/N: Esuna gets rid of status conditions like silence). As an Obsidian Knight, you can do a few Black Magic spells too." She snickered. "What, you didn't know that?"

Zoro sat back glumly in his chair, wishing that it wasn't always the women who knew all the little nuances of the game.

"…and that's it for today, everyone. Thank you for your patronage!" Urahara announced as the last item was sold. "Don't forget to come again this summer!"

"_Esuna,"_ Tashigi murmured. "Let's go." Everyone stood up as the spell was lifted and began to follow Tashigi and Zoro. Zoro adjusted his headgear so his face was hidden from view.

The swordsman in question saw them approaching and watched quietly; his helmet covered his face, but bright green hair stuck out at odd angles from under it. His partner was also a Mercenary. They seemed unperturbed by the large group of people facing them, although the one with the sunglasses seemed to pale slightly when he saw the Straw Hats.

"Are you the Pirate Hunter?" Zoro demanded immediately, without prelude.

"Yes. What business do you have with me?" the Pirate Hunter asked gruffly. He seemed entirely unafraid of Zoro, indicating that he was either very strong or very stupid.

"Oy, look…" the Pirate Hunter's partner whispered, nudging him in the ribs and pointing at Luffy. "Isn't that…?"

"Oh, shit. That means that this guy's…?" the Pirate Hunter said in disbelief.

Zoro lifted his visor with a feral grin. "I've lifted my mask. Reveal yourself, _Pirate Hunter,"_ Zoro snarled.

"It's Zoro-aniki!" the two men said at the same time.

"Wait…Johnny? Yosaku?" Zoro said in disbelief. "Is that you?"

Yosaku nodded, lifting his helmet to reveal a face that was the splitting image of Zoro's. "Ah, about this, aniki…" he stuttered. "We didn't think you'd actually be playing The World, so…"

Johnny nodded emphatically. "We thought that The World could use a bounty hunter like you, so, uh, please don't kill us we're really sorry oh my god," he said in a rush.

"Baka, why'd you have to use my name and face?" Zoro snapped. "I mean, that's just creepy! You even bought a Zoro cosplay! I want you to stop using this avatar, Yosaku."

Johnny and Yosaku froze, and a strange emotion passed across their faces.

"I'm sorry, Zoro-aniki. But I cannot do that," Yosaku said slowly.

"Why the hell not?"

"I'm famous now! Not just because of your namesake anymore, but in my own right. People know the Pirate Hunter as a frighteningly strong man. I can't just let that go," Yosaku said stubbornly. "You'll have to fight me for it."

"…I have to fight you to get rid of identity theft?" Zoro asked angrily.

"How very interesting." Everyone jumped as Urahara was found in their midst, fanning himself slightly. "There is a way to arrange this so no one breaks their word."

"How?" Tashigi asked.

Urahara held up two small capsules, each with a skull emblazoned on it. "'Death Simulators'. If you eat this, then when your character dies you will not be reborn. It will simply disintegrate into a cloud of pixels…forever."

"I see," Zoro said. "That's pretty dangerous stuff you have there." He reached for a pill, but was stopped when Urahara slapped his hand.

"Don't think I'll give this out so freely," the older man said smoothly. "Yosaku-kun, you are at level sixty, am I correct?"

"Y-yeah, how'd you know?" Yosaku said in surprise.

"Just a hunch. Zoro-kun, unfortunately, I cannot give this to you unless you are on the same level as your opponent—and in this case, you are far from the mark." Urahara smiled pleasantly. "Therefore, I'll be suspending your account, Yosaku-kun, until Zoro-kun has leveled up sufficiently so that you may be on the same level."

"What?" Zoro and Yosaku said at the same time. "Why?"

"Now, I can't just give you the weapons of your own destruction, can I?" Urahara explained. He held up a hand, palm-first, at Yosaku and began to chant, _"Walls of iron sand, a priestly pagoda, glowing ironclad fireflies. Standing upright, silent to the end. Bakudo 75—Quintet of 1 Kan Iron Pillars!" _Five thick columns rose from the ground and slammed into Yosaku, keeping him in place. Everyone could see his eyes rolling frantically as he sought to escape the spell. "There, he should be restrained by that sufficiently until we need him again. Johnny-kun, please inform him that he is free to log off, and that we will send you a PM when we are ready."

"Hey, isn't that a little harsh? He's not the type to level up just so he can beat me," Zoro interrupted.

Urahara looked at him in a way that said _You poor, naïve fool. _"You also didn't think that he would be the one impersonating you. Well, Johnny-kun?"

Johnny gulped and nodded before signing off.

"Now, I would like everyone to leave," Urahara ordered in a business-like tone. "What happens after this concerns only Zoro-kun."

Zoro looked at him suspiciously. "Has it ever occurred to you that I have other things to do?"

"Not at all."

"Ah…"

Everyone shrugged and began to leave—after Urahara's display of power, no one was willing to challenge him for something like this.

"I guess there's no helping it. See you later, Zoro," Nami said as she turned around and walked off.

"Bye, bro," Franky said, taking his leave with Robin and Brooke. "Hey, I heard there's this great café down the street…"

"H-h-h-have fun, Z-z-zoro!" Usopp stuttered as he backed away with Chopper nervously.

Ace began to say something, but Smoker grabbed him by the ear and dragged him out the door. They could hear Ace's voice saying, "Mm, taisa, I love it when you play rough…" as they left.

Luffy and Sanji looked at each other before looking back at Zoro.

"Let's fight after you're done with Yosaku, k?" Luffy proposed excitedly. "You're really going to get him up to level sixty? Sugeeee…"

"Marimo." Sanji looked at him, dead serious.

"What, ero-cook?" Zoro barked in annoyance.

"…don't let that guy beat you. Tell me when you're done training so I can see you kick his ass." With that, Sanji left, taking Luffy and leaving a rather confused Zoro.

"Zoro..." Tashigi said, her hands clasped in front of her chest. "I can't stay? We've been through so much together, already."

Zoro gazed at her guiltily. "Sorry. If he says that everyone has to go..."

"How long is it going to take?"

Urahara shrugged. "It shouldn't take too long. Less than a week."

"...then, I will see you in a week. PM me, okay?"

"Of course."

Tashigi signed out with a melancholy wave.

Urahara clapped his hands. "Ichigo-kun, Renji-kun! Come here, please. Zoro-kun, these two are already above level eighty—in other words, past their second reincarnation. Their class is the Shinigami."

"Death gods?" Zoro said with a grin. "Sounds fun."

"Good. You'll be fighting them."


	16. Administrators

A/N: Hm, I've been updating about twice as slow as usual. Augh, sorry! I'm in a bit of a funk right now.

It might have something to do with the fact that I just watched all the episodes of Samurai Champloo over the past few days. It's only 26 episodes, but it's soooo gooood. Plus the voice actor for one of the characters is the same as the guy who does Zoro, so it's kinda cool like that.

---

Zoro ran for his life.

He had been excited to fight against two players of such caliber—Shinigami, no less—and was expecting a nice, clean fight, swords against swords. He had seen the giant katana that the Ichigo guy had been carrying and was eager to spar with him.

What he _hadn't _expected was the red-haired man—Renji, was it?—to whip out his sword and have it bloody well grow.

Scratch that, he wasn't running away. He was regrouping his senses to accommodate this freaky…sword.

Swords aren't supposed to do that. Good thing he was only fighting them one at a time. He shuddered to think what the monstrous sword Ichigo carried could do.

When his swordsmanship had proven that his skill as a swordsman was more than enough to compensate for his level, Renji had done something even freakier.

"That's cheating, you bastard!" Zoro howled over his shoulder. "Why the hell does your sword turn into a snake?" He jumped to avoid the head of said enormous snake.

Renji grinned. "It's not cheating. Is it cheating for a mage to use magic, or for an assassin to imbue his weapons with poison? I don't think so. You're using three swords, so stop complaining!"

Zoro groaned. How the hell was this supposed to help him?

---

Urahara watched them training while sipping on a cup of tea. He had set up a table chair beside Yosaku's prone form while he watched, and chattered ceaselessly to the bound Mercenary.

"Are you watching this? He doesn't think he's leveling up. Of course, he isn't. He hasn't landed a single blow. But he's getting there." Slurp. Tea. "Unfortunately for him, one of the perks of landing the Shinigami job class makes leveling up quite difficult."

Urahara looked up at Yosaku's slack face (he had apparently signed off long ago) and nodded.

"After all, a Shinigami won't die."

---

A/N: I'm going to gloss over the training because I'm not as adept with Bleach as I am with One Piece. After all, it is an OP fic isn't it?

---

Several days had passed with Zoro devoting his usual nap time to playing The World. Luffy and Nami strolled through the streets of the City of Sakura, looking for something to do. The crew had agreed to wait around, two at a time, while Zoro was training in case he wanted to speak to them again. They stopped as the ground shivered under their feet.

"Hey Nami, did you just feel something shake?"

"I think so. I didn't know they had earthquakes in The World."

"Hm…"

---

Zoro stared at the surge of power that came from Ichigo's sword that had caused the earthquake.

"You've got to be kidding me…"

---

Luffy and Nami whirled around as they heard armor clanking down the street in the direction of Urahara's warehouse. A large band of players was running down the street with the crest of The World stamped on their armor. They were all of the same class and wore identical white armor and enormous white wings that lifted them slightly off the ground as they sprinted past. Their faces were covered by smooth helmets topped with long, white plumes that hid their faces. However, they were distinguishable by their differing body shapes—one was round and squat, one was tall and lanky, one was slim and curvy, and so on. As they rushed by, Luffy could hear passerby whispering about their passing.

"_Administrators? I've never seen them in such a rush."_

"_It must be something to do with that quiver in the ground."_

"_Maybe they're going after hackers?"_

"_I've never seen so many admins in one place at one time…"_

Luffy frowned. "Maybe we should follow them…just in case. Nami, can you call the others? We might need backup."

---

Zoro had finally managed to land a blow. Renji looked at the gash going up his chest (Ichigo had been told to stop after his last attack had shaken the entire room and surrounding area) and grinned. Zoro watched in astonishment as the wound closed up, and he leveled up.

"Wait, what? Why aren't you dead? And why did I level up?" he asked perplexedly.

Renji drank a Health Potion. "Since we're Shinigami, we literally can control death. If we see fallen players, we can gather their data and revive them rather than letting them return to their save points. There are more subtle points, but it basically means that when my HP goes to zero, I just have to drink Health Potions."

Urahara tittered. "It's far more complex than that. You see, Zoro-kun…" he began, but was cut off when Zoro held a hand up.

"Stuff it. If it's complicated, I don't care. Let's keep going."

---

Luffy and the rest of the crew were gathered at a street corner just by the alleyway to Urahara's warehouse. They could see the administrators congregating just inside the alleyway, talking amongst themselves.

"I've never seen that class before. Any idea what it is?" Usopp asked.

Robin nodded. "Administrators have a special class system. They go from swordsman-ninja hybrids to Ivory Knights, and then to Seraphim. Angels, in other words—hence the white wings. They are said to be immensely powerful. The reason that they are made to level up the same way as normal players is to give them battle experience."

"Swordsman-ninja, huh? Sounds familiar." Tashigi walked to them from behind. "I couldn't help but follow the commotion. What's going on?" As they explained, a gravelly voice came up to them from the street.

"If you keep loitering here, they'll think something's going down," Smoker said. "Tashigi, did you finish the report?" Ace popped out from Smoker's broad back and waved cheerfully.

"Yes, Smoker-san."

"Good. So what's going on?"

After everything had been straightened out, Tashigi sighed. "It's not our place to question the administrators," she said.

"If they're being idiots, then they shouldn't be administrators," Smoker grumbled.

"I think you've been a bad influence, Ace," Sanji teased.

"Believe me, he was like that already."

When the administrators swiftly moved to break down the door to the warehouse, the pirates and Marines followed silently.

---

"Halt! By order of the Grand Line Gaming system, I hereby—" one of the administrators commanded, but stopped short when he saw Renji's snake sword in its full form. "…Oh."

"This isn't good. It appears as though two of them are already past level eighty. The one with the hat—his class is indiscernible. Do any of you know anything about it?"

"I've memorized every one of the classes on this game, and his isn't one of the one hundred and forty four that are currently in existence," their leader said calmly. "Most likely a hacker. The one with the green hair is an Obsidian Knight. The others are Shinigami." He stopped short when he saw Yosaku. "That looks like the result of a Shinigami spell, but it's been altered. Arrest them for hacking. We'll find their names later."

Zoro looked at them in annoyance. "I'm trying to train here, alright? You guys are just as annoying as the Marines, sheesh." He turned back to face Renji but stopped when he saw the man shake his head.

"This is serious, Zoro. Those are administrators."

"…oh shit." Zoro backed up slightly. "What do we do?"

Ichigo stepped forward, the air about him shifting slightly as he began to muster up energy. "This means that we'll have to get serious, if we want to get out of here unscathed."

"Can't the administrators do whatever they want, though?" Zoro asked.

Urahara shook his head. "They are powerful, but they cannot change the fabric of the game very well from inside the game itself. Conversely, they cannot monitor what happens in the game while they're tweaking the program, so that's why they need people inside. That is the reason why they are so powerful. Six administrators, eh? That's unusual, for a city like this. Why so many?"

The leader, unsheathed his sword. It was wrought of silver and white, and gleamed in the light beautifully. "The black markets of Sakura have been under investigation for quite some time. It was thanks to the earthquake that we were able to pinpoint your location."

"Damned Ichigo."

"Shut up."

"We can each take on one, but for a sub-eighty player, it would be impossible," Urahara said calmly. "Hm…"

"Need help? The Straw Hat Crew is here!" Luffy shouted dramatically, running into the room with the others hot on his heels.

"Um, we're not part of the crew," Tashigi said meekly beside Smoker and Ace.

Ace grinned. "Let's just say that we are for the sake of simplicity."

"I hope you do not intend on opposing us administrators," the leader said coldly. "Your power is far too meager to face us." The leader blinked slightly when he saw the Straw Hat crew, but masked his surprise with a wild smile—one that spoke of bloodlust not befitting a so-called angel.

Their only answer was to immediately attack.

Three of the administrators were immediately occupied by the three black market workers, and they fought furiously in a clash of metal and power. Urahara shouted over the din, "They've seen your avatars already! Don't let any of them escape!"

Zoro turned and saw Luffy already grappling with one of the three remaining admins. Zoro was shocked to see that Luffy was holding his own, although he was beginning to get slightly overwhelmed. As Luffy charged at the admin again in a whirl of flying fists Zoro saw that he had gained four more bars on his black belt, meaning that he was already a Seventh Degree Karateka. Judging from how powerful Luffy had been at only his Third Degree, it was no surprise that he could fight almost on par with the admin.

"Nami! I need some support magic!" Luffy yelled over his shoulder. "This guy's got more Speed than I do!"

"Aye aye, captain! '_Flash of light—Speed!'"_Nami chanted, her arms twisting and forming a complex formation. Zoro gaped as he saw Luffy move at Soru speed, alternating his position in close combat with the admin and moving out of the way so Nami could perform some of her more devastating magic.

Zoro gained instant respect for the redhead when she shouted "'Meteor!'" and a fiery fireball flew down from thin air.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zoro could see Tashigi and the two Logia players battling another admin. The Seraphim looked extremely annoyed whenever Smoker or Ace would dissolve into their elemental forms when they were sliced, but seemed to be biding his time; he must have known that the weakness of using Logia skills was the SP drain. He grinned admiringly as he saw Tashigi managed the score the admin across the chest, leaving a curling slit in the seemingly impenetrable white armor. Chopper stood behind the fighters, casting healing magic whenever someone in their group was struck by the blindingly fast blades of the administrators. The reindeer's forehead was crinkled in concentration as he cast spell after spell, occasionally restoring his SP.

Zoro looked at the rest of their group to see who would take on the last administrator. Robin, Usopp, and Sanji watched him quietly, eyes flickering between him and the last admin. He was a player who wore an extremely large blade across his back and between his wings.

"Got any support magic for us, Robin?" Zoro asked, drawing his swords and playing Shuusui between his teeth. She nodded and held up her arms. The admin immediately moved in to intercept her attack but was pushed back when Sanji aimed a furious kick at him.

"Don't you _dare_ touch Robin-chan, you asshole," Sanji growled, his legs poised for another attack. Zoro grinned as Sanji's leg struck out with astonishing speed, striking the admin in his vital points.

Zoro's grin fell when Sanji fell to the ground, clutching his bleeding leg. The admin wiped his sword calmly, holding it in a two-handed grip that he had assumed faster than the eye could follow. Usopp lifted two of his pistols and shot two rounds at the man, but the admin deflected them with a single swipe of his blade. The bullets glanced off the metal and struck the ceiling with a resounding crash.

"Don't forget what you learned when we were training against the Tundra Wolf. We must attack together," Robin reminded them. They began to run in a circle around the admin, trying to confuse him. Zoro readied a 108 Pound Cannon as Usopp took careful aim. Sanji gulped down a Health Potion and ran with them, building up the energy in his legs. Robin suddenly lashed out with her magic, setting off a chain of events and attacks.

"'Links of infinite, Chains of Night!" Robin cried, lashing out with a surge of magic that wrapped the admin in black chains. Usopp fired, four consecutive shots that set the admin on fire in a hot blaze. Zoro released his 108 Pound Cannon, slicing through the chains to leave an opening for Sanji's Collier Shoot. The unfortunate admin's neck clicked audibly as it was forced up towards the ceiling, and he fell in a rush of flame and sharp chains in addition to the damage from Zoro and Sanji.

"Hah…hah…do you think he's done with?" Zoro panted.

"If he could stand after that…" Sanji groaned in response, clutching the leg that had been injured. "He'd be pretty fucking—oh god, he's standing up."

The admin was indeed standing again, hands gripping his sword in a deathly-tight hold. His wings were ablaze, but the flame was extinguished with a shake of the feathered limbs. He shook himself violently, effectively throwing off the effects of the magic and other attacks.

"Playtime is over," he hissed vehemently. The man disappeared in a gust of feathers and steel, and Zoro saw Robin fall with a cry.

"'Nico Robin' has been defeated."

"Robin-chan! Shit, where is that bastard?" Sanji snarled, legs ready to defend and possibly attack. He whirled to the right when Usopp choked out in a spray of blood as the admin seemed to materialize behind the sniper, slicing cleanly across his throat.

"'Usopp' has been defeated."

"Damnit…!" Zoro gritted his teeth, moving to stand back to back with Sanji.

"'Tony Tony Chopper' has been defeated."

"Augh, that dirty…he went after Chopper while we weren't looking!" Sanji growled in helpless anger. Zoro looked around desperately and saw that the others were in similar situations, save for the two Shinigami and Urahara. He saw Smoker hovering high above the crowd, holding Tashigi in his arms while he avoided the mess down below as Ace kept the admin busy. However, the Marine Commodore was quickly losing SP and was visibly sinking again.

"'Nami' has been defeated."

"If that woman's been defeated…" Zoro muttered as Sanji gave a strangled cry behind him. "Luffy! C'mere, we need to stick together before they pick us off one by one!" Luffy sprinted over and they formed a triangle formation, facing all directions warily.

"Wait, why aren't they disappearing?" Luffy asked, pointing at the fallen bodies of their comrades. They had all seen them defeated at the hands of the admins, but their bodies were not returning to the last save points. "If they're still here, then they're still in danger!"

The two admins that Zoro and Luffy's groups had been fighting appeared in front of them, smiling thinly.

"Goodness, you Straw Hat Pirates certainly do conduct the most outrageous business," one of them said. Zoro twitched slightly as he heard the man speak—he knew this man, from somewhere. "Our swords are spelled so whoever we kill remains where they have fallen, in case they are found to have broken the Terms and Conditions of playing in The World."

"Who are you?" Zoro snarled. "We've met before, haven't we?"

A long, square nose popped out from under the visor of the helmet that was lifted to reveal two round eyes that crinkled with mirth. The man's neighboring admin grinned wolfishly as he lifted his visor as well, revealing a long moustache and scar-lined cheek.

"Ah! The giraffe and wolf!" Luffy said, slapping a fist against his palm in comprehension. "You're still alive?"

"Of course we're alive!" Jyabura snapped. "Do you think you could have killed us? Preposterous!"

Kaku laughed airily. "Unfortunately for you, Zoro, you will not be allowed to play this game any longer. It is a simple matter of informing our superiors of your names and your avatar descriptions, and poof! Your accounts will be suspended."

"Is that your way of getting revenge?" Zoro asked blankly.

"Um…yes," Jyabura said uncertainly. "Got a problem with that?"

Luffy, Sanji, and Zoro all looked at each other before falling to the ground in uncontrollable laughter. The two former CP9 agents darkened in anger before springing forward.

"Die!"

---

A/N: Sigh, yes, a kind of hectic battle scene. AHR, I'll try to cut out some of the Bleach crossover stuff the next chapter, because I find that it's pulling away from the main line of the story (but I'd rather not edit this chapter for that kind of content because I tried, but got all confused and incoherent. Sorry -.-). xShurikenx—haha, I kind of wanted to use Yosaku or Johnny because they look up to Zoro so much but they're not that strong in their own right, compared to the other characters. So this is their 'cool' moment.


	17. Reboot the Battle

Zoro ducked under the swings of Kaku's dual wielded swords and dodged Jyabura's heavier blade as the two of them charged at the three remaining Straw Hats. Their composure was affecting their combat, and he could tell that their swings were more reckless and sloppier than they had previously been. Despite the level difference, the three pirates were fighting fairly well against the administrators.

Out of the corner of his eye, Zoro could see that the two Shinigami and Urahara had won their battles, although they looked battered and heavily injured. He grimaced as he saw Urahara performing the same binding spell on the defeated administrators as he had on Yosaku.

"Your eyes are wandering, Roronoa! Are you sure you can afford—" Kaku spoke derisively, but was cut off as a wild swing left his ribcage wide open. Zoro seized the opportunity and sliced neatly through Kaku's armor.

"You were too reckless, giraffe," Zoro growled. "Now, you will pay the price." He sliced at Kaku's legs, crippling the man. "Oy, Urahara, do you have any spells that'll keep this guy still?"

He had to jump out of the way as five columns rose violently from the earth, slamming into Kaku and holding him into place.

"Augh! You idiot square!" Jyabura snarled at Kaku. The breath was forced from his limbs as Luffy wrapped his arms around the wolf's torso, giving Sanji room to strike him sharply in the chin. A binding spell was put into place, rendering him immobile as well.

"Good job, Luffy!" Ace yelled, waving as he bound the last admin with a rope of flames. He picked the struggling figure up easily and waved at Smoker, who was still holding Tashigi in the air. "Did you seeee that? Smoky-chan~!"

Smoker came back to the ground, placing Tashigi gently beside him. "Shut up, Portgas." As everyone turned to deal with the administrators, he could be heard softly saying, "Good job, you bloody pirate."

The three administrators glared up at their captors, still squirming futilely against their bonds.

"Kaku, you allowed your emotions to interfere with your fight," the leader growled. Luffy stared hard at the man—his voice was hauntingly familiar, but the man's helmet was still covering his face. Luffy reached over and quickly pulled all their helmets off to expose their faces, much to their consternation.

"Lucci?" Luffy gasped. "What the hell are you doing here?" The six ex-CP9 agents stared obstinately back at their captors, but didn't say a word.

"Oy, a couple of them are missing. That Spandex guy and the one with the weird hair—Blueno or something," Sanji said, looking around warily.

"Tch, Spandam still works for the World Government," Fukurou spat. "Blueno is keeping watch."

"Shut up, Fukurou! Don't give them more information than they need!" Jyabura snarled, but it was too late.

"How did you guys get these jobs, though?" Nami asked. She had been revived by one of the Shinigami, as had the other fallen pirates.

"Since CP9 never really existed in government records, the government isn't looking for us out in the open. They're trying to be more covert about it. So we just happened to be players who applied for administrator jobs—" Fukurou said, but was hushed by a stern look from Lucci. "Chapapa, forget that I said that."

"But _why_ are you playing at all? Don't you guys have more pressing things to worry about?" Zoro asked incredulously.

Kaku glanced at Lucci before answering. "Well, truthfully…we got in a spot of trouble after we dispatched a pirate crew. Called themselves the Candy Pirates or something. But we tore them up pretty badly, and we were on the run again. This is sort of an outlet for Lucci's—er, for someone's bloodthirsty tendencies." Lucci snorted as he heard this.

"What are you doing to do to us, hm?" Kalifa asked, her head tilted aloofly.

Zoro looked at the others and shrugged. "What were you going to arrest us for?"

"Consorting with members of the black market as well as a hacker, attacking administrators, and pissing us off," Kaku responded coolly.

"Bullshit," Sanji muttered.

"Yoyoi! This is indeed a disgrace," Kumadori lamented. "If only my hands were free so I could commit seppuku!"

"Idiot, Tekkai doesn't work in The World. We have to heal you every time you do that," Jyabura reminded him in disgust.

"I think it's time to end this circus," Lucci said calmly. The others glanced at him before nodding.

"You can't possible escape those shackles, you know," Urahara began, but blinked when all the administrators signed out, leaving their slack bodies and faces behind.

"That's kind of eerie," Nami shivered. "It's like watching their souls depart from their bodies."

"If they've signed out, then they must have some other options," Robin mused. "It's possible that they've made other character accounts, but…their levels will be lower..." She stopped as an envelope popped above Luffy's head. The rubberman plucked it form the air and opened it.

"Naa, Nami, read it?" he asked piteously after several heart-breaking moments when he tried to scan the words on the letter.

Nami sighed and took the letter. "It says…'Straw Hat Crew. If you wish to continue this fight, then meet us in the City Square. Do not bring any player outside of members of your crew. –CP9.' Why the heck would we want to keep fighting them?"

Zoro, Luffy, and Sanji looked up at her with horribly familiar and pleading expressions on their faces.

She slapped her forehead. "…oh no, we will NOT go and look for trouble. That Tundra Wolf battle was a one-time thing. Do you _want_ to die? Or…" She chuckled, despite herself. "Do you want to have your _accounts suspended?_ Ooh, scary!"

"I just want to kick his ass again," Luffy said, cracking his knuckles.

"Yeah, those bastards hurt you. That's unforgivable," Sanji howled.

Zoro glanced at Tashigi and looked away. "Uh, yeah, I'd rather keep my account. I mean, that giraffe was pretty sneaky, so…yeah…he should die?"

"Are you sure that there aren't any other reasons for it?" Nami teased, before turning serious again. "Anyways…Luffy, are you going to take up this offer? You are the captain, after all."

Luffy nodded emphatically. "Of course!"

As everyone turned to leave, Urahara coughed. "Zoro-kun, don't forget to return once you reach level sixty."

As the others filed out, Zoro grinned at the man.

"I'm only one level away. I'll be back soon.

---

Outside, the Straw Hat Crew was saying goodbye to Tashigi, Smoker, and Ace.

"Don't be too rough on the Commodore, Ace."

"Yeah, he's such a fragile little thing."

Smoker spewed smoke in anger as Ace restrained him to keep him from strangling the snickering pirates.

"Tashigi-san, what will you do from here?" Robin asked. Tashigi turned to Zoro, who had joined them after speaking to Urahara.

"I suppose I'll go train with Smoker-san and Ace-kun," she said. "This is an old rivalry, isn't it? It would be impertinent of me to interfere. But!" She pointed at Zoro dramatically, startling him slightly as he jumped back from the offending finger. "If you get yourself killed or your account arrested, I will personally beat you across the heat with my hilt for allowing yourself to lose! Understood?"

Zoro smirked. "And if I beat them, what then? Do I get a prize?" He licked his lips suggestively in a surprisingly crude gesture. He winked lasciviously.

"'Roronoa Zoro' has lost (1) Virtue Point."

"I was just kidding!"

"'Roronoa Zoro' has lost (50) HP."

"Oi, you old Marine, stop beating me with your stupid jitte! C'mon you guys, let's go find those government dogs!" Zoro ran off, cutting their goodbyes short.

"See you later, Ace!" Luffy called cheerfully. "Remember what Shanks said! No glove, no love!"

"Oi, Luffy, do you actually know what that means?"

"'Course I do, Usopp."

"What does that mean, then?"

"I'll tell you when you're older."

"…I don't want to hear that from you, of all people."

---

They reached the City Square and found that it was crowded as everyone bustled around, shopping and socializing. Zoro was interested to see that there was a large density of reincarnated players, meaning that everyone here would be far stronger than the enemies he was used to facing in the City of Chrysanthemum.

The crew perused the crowd carefully, looking for the CP9 agents. Since they were not wearing their trademark black suits, it was hard to pick out any specific faces among the motley arrangement of masks and monstrous faces.

"Your guard is down, Roronoa," a voice said behind them, and Zoro moved swiftly as he felt the air where his head had previously occupied being violated by a cold blade. The wielder of that blade moved back, his wide hakama rustling slightly as his blade was pulled back. Light brown hair was pulled back into a top-knot under bright, button eyes that gleamed over a long, rectangular nose.

"You're a Samurai?" Zoro asked in surprise. "Well, it does seem to fit, a little."

"I'm a Ronin, actually," Kaku corrected him. "A samurai without a master. I was surprised that they had that class, but there it is. It gives me almost a wistful atmosphere, doesn't it?" Behind him, five more figures appeared from amidst the mass of the crowds. Jyabura stood to his right in the robes of a Wushu Master and Fukurou stood to his left in the elaborate dress of a Beastmaster. Sanji fell back in a faint when Kalifa stood beside Jyabura as an Amazonian Warrior. Kumadori waved his arms dramatically, but looked pretty much the same as he did in real life as he wore the rags of a Mountain Sage. Lucci stood quietly behind them all, wearing a wide straw _takuhatsugasa _hat and the robes of a Fallen Monk.

"Why did you want to meet here?" Luffy asked, looking around at the people milling about. "Isn't it too crowded for a fight?"

"The World has a certain policy regarding administrators," Kalifa responded. "Basically, if you are defeated, then you aren't expected to return to headquarters without the avatars of the ones that killed you."

"We know how you fight, Straw Hat," Lucci added. "You don't like to get others involved, do you? So unless you want all these innocent bystanders to get hurt," he waved a hand, "then I suggest that you come quietly. We may be under level eighty in these forms, but we are still very capable of dealing with you."

Luffy scowled at the man. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

Lucci's composure cracked slightly under the simple statement. "What did you say, boy?" he growled.

"All we have to do is beat you before you can do anything, right? Easy, easy!" he chuckled. "Let's go, you guys!"

"Roronoa, you're _mine!"_ Kaku yelled as the fighting commenced without further ado.

Everyone paused momentarily at those words.

"…that sounded really gay, you know?" Sanji said slowly. Jyabura nodded in agreement. Kaku turned scarlet with horror at those words.

The fighting began again, with increased fervor. Kaku's face was completely red as he struggled to keep his composure.

"Damn you, Roronoa," Kaku growled. The first clash of their blades clashed with the sounds of the others. Usopp immediately ran into a building and stood on the rooftops, sniping wherever he could get a shot in. Chopper was already locked, fist against hoof, with Kumadori in a struggle for the upper hand. Robin and Fukurou appraised each other calmly for a moment until Fukurou launched himself at the woman. Sanji and Jyabura were both howling wildly in a mad rush of Savate versus Wushu (A/N: Savate is French kickboxing, and Wushu is Chinese martial arts. Just a reminder). Lucci and Luffy were already tearing up the square as they simultaneously blocked and attacked each other evenly.

Surprisingly, the most violent battle was occurring between Nami and Kalifa. Both women were growling in a more feral manner than even Sanji and Jyabura were, and they were panting slightly with exertion. Nami already sported a black eye as Kalifa limped on a leg with a burn from one of Nami's attacks. Nami slapped her fists together in an ignition of magic, shrieking spells as quickly as her tongue would allow as Kalifa tried to avoid the rain of meteors and lightning strikes to breach Nami's defenses.

The crowds had initially sunk into chaos when the brawl first began but, surprisingly, calmed down and cleared the square in record time—indicating that public fights were not uncommon in this city. Zoro chuckled as he remembered how the players had gathered around him and Sanji when they had been fighting, and realized that in a world where fighting was the main component, this was not too out of the ordinary. A large group of male players was even ogling the fight between Nami and Kalifa, hooting outrageously.

"Cerberus's Fangs!" Zoro snarled, his attack hitting Kaku's raised swords and pushing him back. The force of the attack drove him far across the City Square, and Zoro dodged the other fights as he ran after him. He found Kaku embedded in the stone of the fountain that was present in the center of every City Square.

Kaku climbed out of the niche his body had made and cracked his back. "White Thunder!" he shouted, his blades flashing as they sent a series of waves towards Zoro similar to Rankyaku. Zoro dove out of the way, landing in the water. The ground shivered slightly, and his eyes grew wide.

"Oh, shit."

Great columns of water burst out of the ground, drenching everyone in the vicinity with cold water. Zoro sputtered and cursed alongside Kaku until the deluge subsided. He was sorely tempted to tear off the water-logged armor that was weighing him down, but dismissed the idea when he remembered how it had saved his skin when he was battling Tashigi. He looked down and saw the good luck charm that he had bought at the New Year's Festival, and smiled slightly before turning to Kaku in sudden rage.

"What kind of bastard programmed _water pipes_ into The World?" Zoro snarled at Kaku.

The giraffe-man shrugged. "I don't know, I'm just an in-game administrator. The programmers are all centered on some island somewhere. I've never actually been to The World's headquarters."

The two opponents faced each other seriously at this point.

"Can we fight seriously now?" Zoro asked in exasperation.

"Of course. Shall we?"

The ground was torn in as they dashed towards each other in a dance of death.


	18. Pirate Hunter, part 2

A/N: This story is drawing to a close pretty soon. Is there anything I've left unexplained/you just wanted to know? I'll be including little omake chapters and stuff, so if you have any requests…then just shout 'em out! (Please, no battle scenes, though).

Not the greatest chapter in the world, but I'm drained of ideas. AHR, this is why I need your helpful comments :(

---

When their blades met in a furious struggle of power, Zoro gritted his teeth as he tried to push Kaku back. Despite the fact that this avatar was of a lower level and power than the 'Administrator Kaku,' he was still around the same level as Zoro. Their swords finally pushed each other, throwing both men back.

They glared at each other, panting slightly.

"Oni giri!"

"Rankyaku Sen!"

The two attacks met head on, canceling each other out. They continued to trade blow for blow, with neither man gaining or losing the upper hand.

"Why aren't my attacks getting through?" Zoro panted. "If I could use Asura…" He could see that Kaku was in a similarly disadvantageous position. "Oi, longnose, why don't you use your Devil Fruit power or something?" he shouted.

"Quiet! I'll use it when I want!" Kaku shot back. Jyabura looked over for a moment from his fight and began to chuckle. "You shut up too, Jyabura!"

Jyabura cackled. "Ah, this is _rich!_ It's a shame that you can't use your giraffe power, Kaku."

Zoro was instantly reminded of a certain ill-tempered Marine Commodore and a Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.

"Neither can you!"

"You can't use it? Come to think of it, none of you are using your Devil Fruit powers," Zoro said in surprise. "Are you underestimating us that much?"

Kaku twitched slightly as they sparred, more as a front than anything else. "Our Devil Fruit powers are on our first avatars—the administrator ones. When this other administrator approached us when we were still in our first two-class stage and offered to let us be administrators because of our power, we took it gladly." Kaku snorted. "It was almost too easy. A large group of admins had been wiped out because of some hacker, so they needed to build up another squad from scratch. We just happened to be on hand."

"Why couldn't you just give both avatars the ability?" Zoro asked curiously as he avoided another rain of Rankyaku.

"Because it would be troublesome if more than one avatar had the same ability. It's one of the rules of The World," Kaku replied.

"Good. That 'Pasta Machine' attack of yours was freaking annoying," Zoro grumbled. _Slice._ In a moment of distraction, Kaku had made two neat incisions into his torso and legs. "Ah, dang…"

They fought, and fought, and fought.

It reminded him a little of when he would fight with Sanji. In other words, no one had the upper hand, and it wasn't bloody well going anywhere. But it felt kind of good.

However, it was evident that both of them were tiring. The constant tension and motion—blocking, dodging, chopping, swinging—was just too much to handle.

"Why are you so damned stubborn?" Zoro huffed. "You can't possibly have had the time to level up two characters at the same time!"

"I'm only at level 59," Kaku gasped. "It's not just a level thing. Our stats are too evenly matched. You started as a swordsman-ninja?"

"Yeah. Don't tell me that we have the same stat levels too? Ugh, this is taking too long. I'll have to use _that." _He hopped out of range of Kaku's swords and swirled his swords in a hypnotic pattern. "Florian Triangle!"

Kaku's eyes were caught in the miasma created by Zoro's swords as Zoro's arms swayed mesmerizingly; a pattern of deep jade and ebony hues spun in the arc of his swords. He approached the Ronin slowly, almost teasingly, as the other man was caught in the trap of his technique. When Zoro finished the skill, Kaku flew back with his eyes unfocused and his mouth hanging slackly.

"Waaah, Zoro, that was awesome!" Luffy cried, clapping his hands excitedly from the sidelines. He heard the roar of the crowd as they cheered for him, and realized that theirs had been the last fight still going on. He could see the other CP9 members sulking as Nami and Robin stood over them, looking thoroughly intimidating as they made sure that the magical bonds they had placed on the CP9 members were holding. Lucci in particular looked especially furious, and it was the cold kind of fury that kept the hordes of other players from crowding in even further.

"Zoro-aniki!" Zoro looked around and saw Johnny and Yosaku waving from the side, skirting around Lucci before running over "That was amazing!"

"Ah, thanks. How did you guys get out?"

"Urahara-san let us out. He said something about us being ready. Dunno what he meant, but I'm glad to be free of that spell," Yosaku said with a shiver. He turned to face Zoro, staring with an odd expression on his face. "You know, Zoro-aniki, I've been using this avatar for months. But I heard that you leveled up really quickly in just a few days."

Zoro shrugged. "What of it? Impatient to fight?" He held his swords up at the ready. "Come at me whenever you feel bold enough, Pirate Hunter."

Yosaku grinned, and it was one that was wild enough to match Zoro's own.

"Oni Giri!" they both growled at the same time, swords flashing in the sunlight. Zoro knew that he had to finish quickly, or his own fatigue would overcome him. Their attacks, rendered them both motionless as they absorbed the shock of the blows.

"You really use Santoryuu, eh? Nice, Yosaku."

"After watching you fight, I was deeply moved by your style, aniki. But I've put a few twists into my style." Yosaku leapt, his body twisting in a serpentine manner under Zoro's guard as he sliced through Zoro's already battered armor.

"Che...!" Zoro jumped back before Yosaku could draw too much blood.

The crowd whispered, wondering what to make of this.

"_Isn't that the Pirate Hunter?"_

"_The two of them look exactly alike. It's freaky."_

"_Who's the other guy, then? Is he the…real…"_

Zoro breathed in deeply, facing Yosaku gravely. "It has been a long time since you have last seen me fight, Yosaku. '108 Pound Cannon!'" Yosaku was thrown back by the attack, but Zoro knew that he was paying the price when his SP petered out even more. He grabbed and drank his last few potions, knowing that he would have to finish this quickly.

He ran at Yosaku with a jump as he soared through the air. His three swords were poised to strike at Yosaku's chest, and he could see the bounty hunter's look of terror at the realization that he could not avoid the blow.

The swords in his hands dug into the ground, forming a deadly cage on both sides of Yosaku's neck rather than piercing his chest. The third one was pointed between Yosaku's eyes.

"I win. Give up your title, Pirate Hunter." Zoro couldn't help but feel a little pity for the other man.

"Zoro-aniki, even after you fought that other man, you're still...so powerful..." Zoro was startled to see tears running down Yosaku's face. "Your spirit and skill are so overwhelming! I should have never even tried to challenge you!"

"Yosaku!" Johnny cried from the sidelines.

"Aniki, I swear that I'll never use this avatar again. I'll use my own name and face, and build my own reputation." Zoro tugged his swords out of the ground, pulling the other man up. Zoro felt the air being squeezed out of his lungs as Yosaku pulled him into a tight bear hug that was quickly joined by Johnny.

Zoro leaned back in embarrassment, not feeling comfortable at all with seeing his own face practically bawling with emotion or with being in a man-hug. "Hey, you don't have to do this here. It's weird, man. I believe you, okay? Just get up…you're ruining my rep…"

---

"_Zoro-aniki!_

_I'm playing The World right now as a level ten swordsman and brawler. Let's train when I level up a bit, eh? –Yosaku."_

Zoro tucked away the PM thoughtfully. His two self-proclaimed little brothers were finally growing up.

"Naa, Zoro? It's time to go. I'm hungry~" Luffy cried. "Sanji, meshi!"

"Alright, captain, just give me time after we sign out or you're only getting salad."

"Eeh?! Take all the time you need, then! A man can't survive off of salad!"

The crew stood and stretched stiffly as they rose from their seated positions.

"Urgh, how long have we been playing?" Usopp groaned, cracking his neck with a satisfying _pop._

"Franky!" Nami called, rising unsteadily as she staggered towards the door. "Ah, my legs fell asleep. Franky, are you there?"

They found Franky sitting morosely in the crow's nest, keeping watch.

"You guys have been having all these adventures," he sniffed melodramatically. "I could hear you yelling from up here for the past few hours."

Zoro looked out the window and saw that they had played straight through the night, and that it was time for breakfast.

"Aaah! Sanji, I've missed three meals! No wonder I'm so hungry!"

"Baka, you've only missed dinner and breakfast. Where did the third meal come from?"

"Secret midnight snack."

"THAT'S WHY OUR FOOD SUPPLIES HAVE BEEN RUNNING LOW, IDIOT!"

"But…I get so hungry…"

"Argh! Wait. Nami-swaaan, Robin-chwaaan! I've neglected you! I apologize from the bottom of my heart!"

Zoro rubbed his chin as he yawned. His lack of activity had drained him of his appetite, and he opted to stay up here rather than join the rest of them for the meal. He had already spent far too much time with them than was healthy, besides.

"I'll watch the ship. Go down and socialize, Franky," Zoro offered. "I'm sure they have a lot to tell you about." Franky nodded and retreated down the ladder.

Zoro leaned over, stretching his hamstrings slowly and breathing in deeply as he felt his stiff muscles complaining. As he went through a series of stretches, he reflected over his journey so far. He thought hazily of the men he had defeated, wondering whether he could remember all their names and faces. The allies he had made were few and far in between, for it was Luffy's duty to be the one that everyone loved, not him. Seeing so many familiar and memorable faces in The World made him feel a bit nostalgic.

He picked up a dumbbell and began his reps.

---

"Wake up, marimo."

"Ngh?"

"Sorry, I can't speak Caveman. Get up. You've been sleeping in the weirdest position I've ever seen."

Zoro blinked his eyes rapidly, moving one hand to rub the sleep out of them. He paused in surprise when his hand didn't move. "Hm?" He had fallen asleep while pumping iron, and still gripped his weights in both hands. He placed them gently on the floor and stood unsteadily, realizing that in addition to a stiff back, he also had cramped arm muscles. "Oh, this is just great," he grumbled.

Sanji pointed towards the ladder of the crow's nest. "Go down into the galley. Now. It's past lunchtime, and I won't let anyone on this crew skip three meals, except for maybe Luffy because of his retarded counting system. Let's go." He pulled the sleepy swordsman all the way into the kitchen, where Zoro was pleased to find that there was still food left for him to eat.

"Luffy didn't finish everything?"

"I locked some in the fridge. In the mood for some soup?"

Zoro crammed a sandwich into his mouth and shook his head.

"Try to eat a little more delicately, would you? It pains me to watch you eat, and that never happens."

Zoro swallowed, washing the bread and meat down with a swig of rum he had pulled from the pantry. "Delicacy is for women."

"Hmph." Sanji nibbled on a piece of toast, mulling over something or the other. "Are you going to keep playing The World?"

Zoro chewed thoughtfully on a slice of pickle. "I s'ppose, if there's nothing else to do. Why?"

"Just wondering. We're getting closer, though."

"Closer to…?"

"Merman Island!" Hearts spewed forth, and Zoro had a sudden urge to return his digested meal to the cook.

"…and your point is?"

"Baka! It's Merman Island!" Sanji cried, as though that explained everything. Seeing Zoro's blank look, he sighed. "You don't want to miss all the action, do you?"

"Ero-cook, the mermaids are half fish. Unfortunately for you, that means that the bottom half isn't human, which also means that the parts you're _most interested in_ are…fishy. And not in the normal human sense."

"…what the hell are you talking about…" Shifty eyes.

"Oh, forget it. I might just play to escape your idiocy." Zoro burped, pushing his empty plate towards the cook. "Thanks for the meal."

"You guys! Look what I found!" Zoro and Sanji went outside to find Luffy excitedly dancing around a barrel that they had pulled from the ocean.

The World was wiped from Zoro's attention for a very, very long time.

---

Thriller Bark commences. Occurs. Finishes.

Zoro sustains massive injuries. Of course.

Which brings us to his post-battle tradition…

---

"Hello, Zoro."

"Oh shit, Tashigi. I can explain—"

"Unless you've been practically massacred by, I don't know, a _Shichibukai_ or SOMETHING along those lines, you better have a damned good reason for your absence."

"…"

"What's that look for?"

"Well, as it turns out…our crew did get wiped out by Bartholomew Kuma. The Shichibukai."

"Stop joking around."

"I'm serious."

"If you're yanking my chain, I'll cut you."

"When did you get so bloodthirsty?"


	19. Transition

A/N: The opening scene is inspired by a comic by olafpriol (Deviantart).

To Super Hurricane: Thanks for the review, that was like…the longest review _ever_. I'm not playing any MMORPGs at the moment (it had a pretty detrimental effect on my social life and grades) but I've played World of Warcraft, Ragnarok, Water Margin, Rappelz, and Gaia Online. Your words gave me a few new ideas. As for other games…the list is a bit too long to put here, haha!

AHR: I still love you! ^^ …in a completely non-yuri manner.

Santoryuu-Zoro: Hm, what did happen to Zoro's swords? I'll put it in the end of this chapter.

This chapter is (mostly) just a humorous filler. Yes, awful, I know, but I'm going to put a little more time into the next chapters (for both my stories), so please be patient…!

---

Franky sat on the rail of the Thousand Sunny, fishing without a care in the world. The women were chatting idly on the deck, Usopp and Chopper were teaching Brooke a card game, and the Three Stooges were preoccupied with The World. In other words, it was a perfect day to sit back and relax without worrying about his crewmates wreaking havoc. He'd been feeling super all week, and toyed with the idea of tinkering in his workshop.

"AAAAUUUUUGH!"

Franky practically jumped out of his Speedo in shock, and he had to shoot his arm out to grab the falling fishing pole.

"What the hell was that?" he growled, placing the rod gently on the deck and running into the deck, into the galley. The others looked at him in amusement as he ran.

"Zoro! Sanji! Save meeee!" Luffy's voice rose to a fever pitch, and Franky winced at the volume of the yelling. Franky found the three of them sprawled across the floor in various amusing positions.

Luffy rolled across the floor comically, curled into a fetal position as his body was scrunched around the controller in his hands. His fingers clicked the buttons rapidly—even neurotically. Zoro was sitting in a hunched position, save for the leg that stuck out to kick Luffy periodically whenever the rubberman rolled by. Sanji leaned against a chair coolly, as though he was too tired to deal with the men on his crew any longer. All of them were sweating feverishly as they battled invisible foes.

"Mugiwara…?" Franky asked tentatively, unsure as to whether he should be disturbing this particular scene.

"Bunnies! There are bunny rabbits _everywhere!_" Luffy howled, rolling even faster.

"Bunny…rabbits…" Franky scowled, sitting to watch the spectacle.

"You moron! Don't come over here! Shit, now they're coming after me! _Do_ something, you shitty cook!"

"This is just…" Sanji muttered, unable to find an adjective to adequately describe the stupidity he was watching.

Franky crept out of the galley quietly. This was not a situation for normal men (or cyborgs) to understand.

---

Zoro lashed out quickly, taking down the last wave of bloodthirsty rabbits that swarmed after them. He was reminded of Drum Island's carnivorous rabbits, but on a much larger—and stronger—scale. Even Luffy was having trouble with these.

He growled angrily, looking for an end to the rabbit attack in vain.

"This is all your fault, Luffy," he spat, wincing as a sharp rabbit claw scratched at his armor.

"What! Why?"

"If you hadn't started indiscriminately attacking them, then we could have picked them off one at a time!"

"But they looked so cuddly, I couldn't resist!"

"Chopper's adorable too, but you don't go around punching him in the face whenever you see him, do you?"

"…"

"…you think Chopper's 'adorable', huh? I didn't even think that that word was in your vocabulary, marimo."

"I-I mean…shut up! We have bigger things to worry about! Don't—Luffy! Don't run over here! You'll start too—oh shit nuggets, they're attacking me again. You…"

---

Zoro found that there were many advantages to being a high-level player in The World. For one thing, the weak guys didn't bother him anymore. Lower-level thugs didn't even try to mess with him. Conversely, the strong guys were always targeting him. He enjoyed the battles, and the subsequent experience gain, but sometimes they didn't fight fair. He had lost track of the times that he'd had to dodge random bullets while walking down the street, or swings from behind the moment he logged on. It was a little unnerving at times.

Kaku would occasionally approach him, with that friendly smile of his as he offered to train with Zoro. It was always a treat to have the other guy on his side, for once. At other times, he would fight with Tashigi, grinning whenever she executed a particularly deadly set of moves.

A woman with a sword? Definitely his type.

Unless she was trying to kill him, or arrest him, or take his swords.

"Roronoa Zoro!"

Zoro rolled his eyes as he ducked, allowing True Air to swing into the air above his head.

"Sneaky as always, I see. Must be the ninja in you. You can just call me Zoro, you know."

"Hmph. Zoro, you're as attentive as always," Tashigi said. "Your blade is still sharp. Good."

"Want to see how sharp?"

"…are you attempting to use your swords as innuendo?" Tashigi's eyes flashed behind her glasses, and her thumb pushed the blade of her sword out slightly.

He was saved the opportunity to dig the hole he was in deeper by a sudden interruption.

"Get away from me, you idiot!"

"Ero-cook?" Zoro said incredulously as he saw the blond man running towards them, followed by what appeared to be a goat-like man. Zoro also noticed that the man chasing Sanji was exceptionally handsome (he noticed this in a completely neutral aspect, without _any attraction at all) _and that he also looked extremely familiar.

"Marimo! Get this idiot away from me!" Sanji shouted, leaping over them. Unfortunately, the man chasing him followed with ease.

"Don't you remember me? It's me, handsome!" the man shouted. Zoro stared in disbelief. "It's Duval!"

"Oh, damn. That sucks," Zoro said flatly. He sat back and watched as Duval managed to corner Sanji.

"Aren't you going to help him?" Tashigi asked, watching in morbid curiosity.

"Nah. It's more fun to watch. Sit, why don't you? Oi, Duval! What's your class?"

Duval turned to look at them, and comprehension dawned on his face. "Ah! It's the gentleman who uses the swords! With a lovely young lady, I might add." He winked in an excruciatingly awkward manner, eliciting winces from the two swordsmen. "I'm a Satyr." Indeed, his bottom half was that of a goat, and long curving horns jutted out from his thick golden locks of hair. A bow and quiver of arrows was slung over one shoulder and a pipe hung from his soft leather loincloth.

"Uh-huh, I see. Oh, Sanji's starting to run again. You should probably go after him," Zoro mentioned in an off-hand manner.

"Damn you, marimo!"

"Oh! I've got to go, then! It was lovely to meet you~!" Duval cried, galloping away rapidly.

"That was the most awkward encounter I've ever had," Tashigi said.

"Believe me, he's not even the worst of them," Zoro said with a shudder. "Oh, there are some rabbits I wanted you to meet…"

---

(A/N: Okay, here's some real plot)

Smoker sat quietly, waiting.

A man had requested to meet him in this city today, for some reason. That man had said that it was of extreme important, and that it was business that could only be conducted in The World. Smoker felt the same kind of dread that he had felt when Hina had first introduced him to this game, but disregarded it. What was the worst that could happen?

If things became troublesome, he could…always depend on Ace to help him out of it.

"Naa, Smoky-chan, let's do something. I know! How about we log out, and I track your ship down, and then we can—"

"Stuff it, Portgas. I'm expecting company."

"Hmph. I told you, you don't have to keep calling me by my last name. You can call me Ace-chan! Why am I stuck here, anyway?"

_Breathe, Smoker. You can't strangle him, he'll burn you._ "Your presence was requested."

"Maa, you were invited too, Smoker-kun?" Aokiji's voice drifted over to them lazily as the Admiral strolled over to them, flopping unceremoniously on the ground besides them. "Hello, Portgas D. Ace." He folded his dark blue Shaman robes around his body as he settled comfortably in the grass.

"G'day, Admiral."

"He called you over too, Aokiji?"

"Yep. No idea why he thinks we would want to see him."

"We're here, aren't we?" Smoker remarked idly, searching for a cigar. He found one, and scowled when Ace offered him a light. Still, he accepted it with grudging thanks.

"He is most likely a criminal, though," Aokiji mused. "If he didn't give us a name, he must have something to hide."

"If an Admiral deems that he can be spoken to, then what can I say about it? I'm sitting here with a pirate by my side, anyway. Don't worry about it."

"Very true." A PM popped up over Aokiji's head, and he opened it slowly. "It looks as though we're being called to another location. Five degrees west, in the Spider Café."

The three men walked casually to the aforementioned establishment, pausing only to take in their surroundings before entering the small café. They were greeted by a tall, slim woman with thick, curly hair who took their orders with a curling smile.

"What can I get for you boys?" she asked cheerfully, but paused when she saw their faces. "Ah, you've arrived?" She ushered them in and closed the door behind them, turning the side so it read 'CLOSED.' "Make yourselves at home, I'll let him know that you're here, mmkay? If you need anything, just call me. My name's Paula."

"These accommodations are surprisingly humble," Aokiji noted. They all glanced up when Paula gave them steaming cups of tea before bustling to answer a knock on the door. The man who entered wore the bright orange robes of a Shaolin Monk, although he had blond hair covered by a pale kerchief rather than a bald scalp. Long ears similar to the Buddha's hung on either side of his disinterested face, and he sat at the large table that Aokiji, Ace, and Smoker sat at. No one said a word.

They all displayed the same disinterested countenance when the next two men arrived—one was a middle-aged man who smiled serenely under the flowing, colorful robes of a Kannushi. The man accompanying him could not really be called human—he had chosen the Shadow Taurus class, and his thick features were masked by dark hair and bullish features.

(A/N: Kannushi=Shinto Priest)

They all stared at one another, wondering for what purpose they had been gathered. Paula left quietly, bringing her host before leaving with a slight bow. No one moved or made a sound upon seeing the man who had summoned them here, but there were small signals that indicated that they were surprised—twitches of the facial muscles, slightly widened eyes, and clenched fists.

"I'm glad that you all chose to join me today, gentleman," the man said in a gravelly voice that was silky-smooth in his persuasion. "How would you like to dominate The World?"

Crocodile folded his hand over his hook, smiling coldly.

---

The Story of Zoro's Swords, Wado Ichimonji, Sandai Kitetsu, and Yubashiri

"Hey, Yosaku."

"Yes, aniki?"

"What swords did you used to carry? You know, as the Pirate Hunter."

"Oh, I really don't want to talk about that—"

"Spill, or I'll gut you."

"Aie! Uh, I used Yubashiri, Sandai Kitetsu, and Wado Ichimonji. Those were the ones you use in the real world, right?"

"Yeah. So, um, what did you do with them? Are they still on your other account?"

"…"

"What?"

"D-did you want them, aniki?"

"Well, of course I do, you idiot. Those are the best damned swords I'll ever be able to use."

"…"

"Just spit it out, Yosaku."

"Weeell you know how I said I swore that I would never use that account again?"

"Yeah."

"Aahaha well it's kind of a funny story. I thought that it would be too tempting to leave a level 60 Mercenary character lying around so I um, sold my account."

"I'm not laughing, Yosaku. This better have a fucking good punch line."

"Er…"

_Sigh._ "Who did you sell the account to?"

"Some Marine guy. He wouldn't give me his real name, but he did send me a bag full of beri—"

"So you sold it, huh? Did you get a good price for the three swords that constitute my soul, hm?"

Yosaku had the feeling that it would be in his best interests to start running. Very quickly.

"Aniki, you know I love you, right? M-m-more than I love Johnny, even!"

"'Yosaku' has been defeated."

Yosaku pulled off the headgear with a sigh as he logged out.

Johnny was staring at him with teary eyes.

"Awe, crap! Johnny, I didn't mean it!"


	20. The illfated Logia alliance

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! Also, if you don't like Zoro-Tashigi stuff, then…well, there's not going to be anything torrid or passionate or explicit, but just lovey-dovey. Sort of.

AHR: Hmm, I do believe that I'll be a bit (okay, more than a bit. More like a lot) liberal with the timeline. As for the Zoro-Tashigi issue for the real world, and why Crocodile's wasting his time in The World when he should be at Impel Down (which he is during this time arc), well…I'll be sure to explain that in this chapter.

Santoryuu-Zoro: Never watched Monty Python, but I heard that it's pretty funny.

So let's pretend that Crocodile's _not_ at Impel Down yet, and that they all are in a time-space continuum something or other that allows them to indulge in things like this.

Also, at this point, Ace and Blackbeard have not yet had their confrontation (in the real world) meaning that Ace has not yet been captured, either. I'm not going to say anything more.

Also, I did see the plot discrepancy about Shuusui (no one's pointed it out yet, but someone might), since Zoro had Shuusui at the beginning of the story but he didn't go to Thriller Bark until recently. Oops.

---

"What the hell are you talking about, Crocodile?" Smoker growled, feeling a slight prickling under his skin. It was not fear, but an instinctive reception of danger. "Take over The World? That's the most idiotic shit I've ever heard." Around the table, the other men seemed to be in agreement.

Crocodile smiled thinly. "It appears as though you do not see the merits of controlling The World. There are certain unique aspects of this game that are found almost nowhere else. First and foremost—civilians, pirates, and Marines alike all cooperate with one another, with little regard to status or inhibition. Correct?"

"Well, yeah. You can't _do _anything to them on a video game." Although Smoker did not say it, they could hear _Idiot_ echoing in every word he spat out. Crocodile seemed to scowl for a split second, but the expression was wiped away by another slimy-smooth smile.

"This also means that with so many players, if you are in search of a single person, then you will be able to find him here. After all, everyone here is in search of some man or crew, correct? For example, I know that you are chasing the Straw Hat Crew, Commodore. Fire Fist, you are looking for the renegade Blackbeard." Ace scowled and the Shadow Taurus twitched.

"That's only two of us," Ace objected. "And sorry, Smoky-chan, but if this helps you track down my little brother, I can't join."

"The rest of the men here are all Marines—save for one—and would benefit from knowing the whereabouts of the most prominent crews. I myself have encountered more than half of the Supernovas during my play," Crocodile said smoothly. "Furthermore, it is possible to sustain physical damage from attacks taken in The World if you fail to heal yourself properly. This provides no incentive for you?"

Smoker scratched the 'A' on his chest absently as Aokiji and Ace chuckled.

"Why don't you tell us what you are proposing, then?" the Kannushi asked politely.

"All in due time, Kizaru," Crocodile said. "The Grand Line Gaming System operates on technology very similar to the Den Den Mushi. You are able to see other people because of frequencies between games. These frequencies can be tracked and pinpointed to their source."

"In other words…you can use this game to find anyone who is playing? Interesting. It reminds me of mantra," the Shaolin Monk murmured. "Why did you choose us to help you, though? I don't believe we've ever met before."

Crocodile laughed coldly. "Ah, introductions have not yet been made. As most of you know, I am Crocodile—"

"—ex-Shichibukai and leader of Baroque Works," Smoker growled. "Also in captivity." Crocodile scowled, but didn't say anything as he jerked his head in Smoker's direction, indicating that it was his turn.

"Commodore Smoker of the Marines," he said simply, before jabbing Ace sharply in the ribs.

"Portgas D. Ace, also known as Fire Fist Ace of the Whitebeard Pirates," Ace said cheekily. "Also the only pirate here, I believe." The other Marines looked as though they were eager to take his bounty head right then and there, and the Shadow Taurus snorted in laughter.

"Admiral Aokiji," Aokiji said, peeking out from under the sleeping mask he had donned sometime during the meeting.

"Eneru," the Shaolin Monk said arrogantly. "I am the God Eneru."

"A god, eh? Interesting," the Kannushi hummed. "I'm Admiral Kizaru. Nice to meet you, God."

They all turned to the Shadow Taurus expectantly. He grinned at Ace before speaking.

"Marshal D. Teach," he said. Ace's eyes widened, and the room was suddenly flung into chaos as a fiery fist was sent hurtling towards Blackbeard's face.

"Fools, do not fight amongst yourselves," Crocodile hissed. A wall of sand was erected to block the flame, but he found himself separating a furnace of fire and an abyss of darkness. Crocodile winced as the sand he was made of was slowly being turned to glass by the heat of Ace's fire. The others were unfazed, although they were prepared for battle. Smoke ran off of Smoker's torso in tiny tendrils as Aokiji's fingers were laced with ice. Only Kizaru and Eneru showed no signs of change, although the edges of their bodies seemed to flicker with light.

Ace and Blackbeard withdrew reluctantly, although Ace's face still blazed with anger.

"I'm not going to work with this man," he spat.

Crocodile shook his head. "Both you hot-blooded fools are searching for each other this campaign will only bring you closer to your respective targets. But, by this little display, I'm sure that you have realized exactly why I have chosen you to aid me.

"After all, there is nothing more powerful than a Logia."

---

"Mugiwara, you're an idiot."

"I didn't _mean_ to do it! I didn't see it on the ground, and I accidentally stepped on it!"

"Why were you running through the galley, anyway?"

"Sanji was chasing me."

"I can't believe you ate the pastries I had set aside for Nami-san and Robin-chan, you shitty rubber."

Franky set the GLGS down with a sigh, scratching his head with the screwdriver he had been using to fix it after Luffy had broken it.

"I've fixed it to the best of my abilities. I've never dealt with anything like this before, though. The technology is amazing. There was this weird little receiver in there that was a bit cracked, and I didn't have the proper materials to replace it, so I just used some of this and that from my workroom. You might have a bit of trouble with your inter-GLGS connection, but it shouldn't affect your gaming too badly. You can get it fixed professionally at the next island," Franky said with a sigh. "Try to be more careful, would you? Next time, I might not be able to fix it."

"Thanks, Franky!" Luffy whooped.

"Marines! Marines!" Usopp screamed from outside.

"Aaah, okay. Coming!"

---

"Luffy, we have to be more careful. The closer we get to the Red Line, the closer we get to _that place,_" Nami said seriously. Everyone was gathered around in the galley after the last skirmish. The Marines had been stronger than usual, and even Zoro had to admit that he wasn't just playing around with them.

"Where?" Luffy asked in confusion.

"The Holy Land! Mariejois!" Nami cried in exasperation. "It's the capital of the World Government, for crying out loud!"

"Ah. I see," Luffy said, picking his nose. "So?"

Before Nami could begin to beat him for his ignorance, Robin stepped in. "Captain-san, what Nami-chan is trying to say is that there will be more powerful enemies—perhaps even an Admiral. The security will be far stronger around here, and we cannot afford to be caught at this point."

"Ooh! I see," Luffy said. "So what do we do, then?"

"We'll have to tread lightly, and keep a low profile," Nami insisted. "We've been seeing a lot more Marine vessels sailing by. Not just little ones, either. Enormous warships, too."

---

Ace glared at Blackbeard. The meeting had been disbanded for the time being, and he had unfinished business with the man.

"I didn't think you'd be able to play video games, Teach," Ace said coldly. "Aren't you supposed to be on the run? After all, I'm coming after your head."

Blackbeard chuckled. "I'm on here because I knew I'd get news of your whereabouts, eventually. Why don't we finish this? Let's meet and settle the issue once and for all."

"Fine. Where do you want to meet?"

"Are you anywhere near Banaro Island?"

"I can get there by tomorrow."

"Let's meet tomorrow afternoon, then."

Although many attributed the fight between Ace and Blackbeard as the "trigger" for the Whitebeard Affair, few knew just how far back it stretched.

The true trigger was when Crocodile brought the two men together, allowing them to contact each other.

---

Several days later…

---

Smoker put the newspaper down with a heavy sigh, looking up as Tashigi entered his room.

"We're getting closer, Smoker-san. We've almost arrived at Mariejois."

"I see…" He balanced a few heavy stones on his desk with a precision that was seemingly impossible on a rocking ship. "So he's really been captured, eh?"

"Yes, Smoker-san. The man who captured him was promoted to Shichibukai status after turning him in. Marshal D. Teach, I believe his name was. Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates."

"That bastard. Not only a traitor and a pirate, but a Shichibukai too."

"Pirates! We've spotted pirates to the east!"

Smoker heaved his body up with a grumbling complaint. "More pirates? You'd think they'd be more careful, being this close to the World Government's capital and all."

---

Nami nearly pulled her red hair out by the roots as she shouted at the crew.

"We were supposed to be going on an easterly course! How could you let us drift west?" she shrieked, beating Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Chopper with her Clima Tact. "We're going to the Sabaody Archipelago! I _knew _it was a bad idea to let you keep watch for even a second. If we stray too close—"

"Sorry to interrupt, Nami, but we've got trouble," Franky said, jumping down from the crow's nest. "Marines to the west. We better get ready, because they're not exactly laying out the welcome mat for us."

Nami sighed, pulling her Clima Tact over her shoulder. "See? Marines. Don't think I'll let you guys off. If you can get rid of them fast, then I'll think about reducing your punishment."

"You're lucky that you're the only one who can navigate through this damned ocean," Zoro grumbled as he strapped his swords on.

---

"Sir Crocodile? We're turning the game off now. It's time for your transfer."

Crocodile found The World growing dark, and he cursed. It looks like he would have to find another way to exact his revenge on that cursed Straw Hat.

---

Eneru looked at the game console and shrugged. He didn't have time for the frivolities of Blue Sea dwellers. Fairy Vearth was waiting.

The GLGS was fried by a single jolt of electricity.

---

"Maa, Aokiji, orders are in. That young man—Blackbeard, was it?—has caught Fire Fist. Crocodile's ideas were interesting, but it looks like they'll have to be put on hold for now."

"It looks like I'm going to Headquarters. What about you, Kizaru?"

"I'll go along, too. You never know what those idiotic pirates will try to pull next."

The two Admirals tossed the game aside as they grabbed their coats, leaving for the Holy Land.

---

"Why does this always happen to me?" Zoro groaned, watching as Tashigi glared at him stubbornly from the other ship. "I mean, Fate must love screwing around with my head or something."

"How the hell are we going to deal with that Smoker guy, though?" Sanji wondered, lighting a cigarette as the other ship approached. "If even Luffy can't deal with him, then we're pretty much screwed."

"Worry about that later. The time for battle is now." They all leapt onto the Marine vessel, but stopped short when Smoker stood in front of them, completely human and standing stoically.

"Wait, you damned pirates," he snarled, cigars spewing thick smoke.

Luffy stopped short, halting everyone with an outstretched arm. "What is it, Smoker?" he asked, scrutinizing the other man's face.

Smoker looked at Luffy with a peculiar expression—was it pain?—and sighed heavily. His shoulders were slumped miserably under his heavy coat, and the smoke drifting from his lit cigars rose slowly, with as little energy as the Marine seemed to possess at the moment. Deep lines were carved into his face that seemed aged considerably by them, and he ran a hand through his gray hair with a practiced motion that indicated that he had been doing it a lot lately.

"Mugiwara." Smoker's voice was just as weary as he appeared. "What the hell are you doing around here?"

Luffy blinked in confusion. "You're the one who came after me, baka," he said obviously. "What are YOU doing here?"

A tic formed on Smoker's forehead, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Why don't you run?"

Luffy shrugged. "Do you want us to?"

Smoker looked on the horizon, his eyes distant. "Mugiwara, you have no idea what you're heading towards."

"The Sabaody Archipelago's supposed to be next on our list." Luffy grinned cheekily, and Smoker winced at the wide smile spreading across the boy's face.

"Don't tell him where we're going!" Nami hissed from the sidelines.

"I see. Keep your eyes peeled, would you?" Smoker turned around. "The World Government makes a lot of stupid choices. Today is not the day to fight."

"Smoker-kun!" Tashigi protested. "But…they're right here!"

"We cannot afford to lose any more men before the upcoming battle. If we were to fight right now, then the outcome would be no different than our last battle, except Roronoa will not have his trump card," Smoker said slowly. "Save it for Whitebeard."

"Y-yes, sir. But…I have one request."

"What is it?"

"Let me fight him. Roronoa Zoro."

"We've been summoned, Tashigi. We cannot dawdle, and I cannot afford to have you injured at this point."

"That doesn't sound like you, Smoker-kun. I know that you do not agree with the reason we are being summoned, for more reasons than the obvious."

Smoker looked at her oddly, seeing the bright sheen in her eyes, and then turned to the pirates. "Mugiwara! Will you honor a duel?"

Luffy turned to Zoro. "We're in no big hurry. Do what you want, Zoro."

Zoro's answer was to step forward, grinning haughtily at Tashigi. "Let's do this, then. Maybe you'll be more of a challenge now than last time." The Straw Hat crew moved to the side of the ship closest to the Sunny as the Marines gathered around the other side.

He only needed Shuusui to block her first attack, and the turnaround. Sandai Kitetsu would be overkill right now. Suddenly, the tempo increased and Zoro found himself wielding Wado and Shuusui. Apparently, she had improved considerably since their last encounter. He found himself grinning, and even thinking that at this rate, she'd be lucky enough to see all three of his bad boys swinging at her. Zoro grinned in excitement, enjoying the battle.

Tashigi's face was smiling slightly before, but was now dead serious. Sandai Kitetsu screamed in pleasure as Zoro drew it, concentrating to ensure that it didn't go wild. With Wado firmly in his mouth, he knew that Tashigi couldn't do a damned thing. He might as well enjoy the rush of battle for the moment.

She twisted suddenly, her sword coming up to defend while she moved around to his back. He managed to hit her blade aside, but winced as her blade jabbed right up against his face, tickling the fine hairs on his cheeks.

Okay, maybe she had gotten a lot better.

He let Sandai Kitetsu go. Shigeru went flying through the air, clattering several feet away.

Luffy and Smoker watched silently, wondering what was going to happen next. Would it end like the last battle? Or would the farce Zoro had created become a reality?

Nah, he wouldn't kill her.

"Luffy, go back to the Sunny. Everyone, go back."

Luffy cocked his head, and saw the look on his first mate's face.

"You better be done soon, Zoro. I want to go to the next island," Luffy said impatiently. "C'mon, you guys! Gomu Gomu no…" A pair of rubbery arms was pulled back, and the pirates began to frantically leap back to the ship in a panic. "…Rocket!"

"Crazy bastard," Smoker muttered. "What are you doing, Roronoa? Going to try and kill her again?"

Zoro put Sandai Kitetsu away—it was far too unrefined and uncontrollable for the delicate operation he was about to conduct. Tashigi found Wado and Shuusui on either side of her next, creating a scissor-shaped trap that she could not move from. She stood firm, not believing for a second that he would harm her.

Well, a small voice was telling her to get the fuck out of there, but it was a small one. Very small. Getting louder as he got closer, though.

He leaned in, far too close for comfort. Smoker stiffened, seeing Zoro move slowly to whisper in Tashigi's ear. Zoro stood there for a long time, quietly saying the words that were for her ears alone.

"We cannot continue this charade any longer. You are a Marine, and I am a pirate. That will never change until the day we die. Don't speak," he said quickly, seeing her throat bob as she opened her mouth. "Not a word. I can't…I don't want to hear you say _anything,_ not now, not until I'm gone. You are the most bizarre and frustrating woman I've ever met, except for perhaps the witch. You are a sword otaku and clumsy fool whose eyesight is as bad as my sense of direction. You are naïve to the point where you think you can change the world. In other words, you're an idiot."

She gaped in outrage, her face turning red at his words as she struggled to keep herself from moving. He grinned at her predicament before continuing his monologue.

"We can never be anything more than foes on his ocean. If some bastard ever approaches you though, with intentions as pure as Sanji's, then you had best tell me his name so I know what to put on his gravestone after I kill him. I know that I can't have you. But if I can't have you, then no one will. You might be an idiot, but you're _my_ idiot, understand?"

Tashigi felt his eyelashes brush against her cheek, so lightly that she doubted whether she was truly feeling it. She stiffened as she felt cold steel pressing against the soft, bare skin of her neck, but realized that he had had the flats of the blades confining her this entire time. Before she could move, she felt rough lips brush against her forehead in a casual, chaste kiss before he was gone. She blinked, seeing him grab onto a rubber hand that was gripping the rail of the ship tightly before being pulled back onto the Sunny.

Smoker ran after Zoro, his body unfurling into a cloud of smoke as he shouted until his face turned red.

"You damned pirate! What the hell do you think you're playing at, you little…!" Smoker faltered as the Thousand Sunny shuddered. "Oh, crap." He barely made it back to his ship before the Thousand Sunny disappeared with a bang, tossing his ship with the enormous swell that it created and spraying them all with a fine mist of cola. "Tashigi?"

She went down into the depths of the ship, bringing the GLGS back with her. Smoker watched as she took the cartridge for The World out and placed it on the deck. She crushed it efficiently under her foot before picking up the pieces and tossing it out to see.

"Smoker-san."

"Hm?"

"What are we going to do from here?"

Smoker heaved a heavy sigh. "All that's left to do is go to Mariejois and await the storm. I can't help him, Tashigi. It's an odd feeling, knowing that he's _right there _and I can't do a damned thing to help, you know?" He coughed. "I mean, not that I'd want to help that brat. He was asking for it."

Tashigi laughed softly as she looked at the foamy ocean—the last traces of that fated pirate crew.

---

"God, Zoro's _such_ a player."

"I know, huh? Did you see him whispering in that Marine's ear?"

"He's a tricky bastard, though. Using the flat end instead of the sharp one to trick her."

"That damned marimo…!"

Zoro groaned, going down to the galley. He popped the cartridge for The World from the GLGS, taking it back out onto the deck.

"Oy, do you think we'll have time to play The World anymore?"

"Probably not," Robin replied. "We're approaching the New World, aren't we?"

Zoro smiled serenely before crushing the cartridge in his fist and throwing it out into the ocean.

---

A/N: Hm, is this the end? Maybe, perhaps, probably, I don't know.


	21. Epilogue

A/N: A long epilogue to try and make up for my tardiness. This is the end of the normal storyline, and I will admit that I have seriously deviated from what I had intentionally thought of as my main focus for this story. I might write a few other chapters that have little snippets of Straw Hat life during various points in the story, but they will not be updated regularly. I tried to tie together whatever loose ends I had left, but if I forgot something then...well...that's what extra bonus chapters are for, right?

I hope you all enjoyed this story :)

-aznillusion183

---

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon. Most of the shops in the small town were closed for the day, save for the church whose bells pealed the hour. The Straw Hat pirates had stopped by this tiny island to restock and refresh—after all, it had been ages since they had last been able to have any time to think about things like fresh groceries or clean laundry. They had had an exhausting time of it, what with the whole ordeal that Kuma had imposed by sending them all over the ocean and the subsequent adventures that came when they had tried to find each other again. The whole Whitebeard affair had also blown up and finally subsided, and everyone was weary of fighting for the moment. Even when on the same side as a Yonkou, the Shichibukai were not exactly easy to deal with. Ace had been freed, as it turns out, and had gone off to recover on his own while his surrogate father wreaked havoc on the Red Line. When Mariejois had been properly stormed and the World Government learned just how crappy things could be when they messed with Whitebeard, things had calmed down just a little, and Luffy had decided that it was eventually high time for them to leave. They had gone on to sail in the New World, discovering islands that were stranger than their wildest imaginations could conjure. They had, in fact, passed through Mermaid Island on their way through the Red Line, and Sanji had gone practically anemic with the blood loss through his nosebleeds. They had also met Lola's mother, the famous she-pirate, and were adequately awed by her.

Zoro yawned mightily. He hadn't really had that good of a time with that freaky Perona girl—she had a tendency to use her Devil Fruit powers just to screw with him by floating through the bathroom walls or falling through the ceiling the moment he woke up—and was glad to be with the rest of his crew to a relative normalcy.

When Luffy ran by with meat bones stuck up his nose (the latest trend in Straw Hat dancing fashion, as it turned out. Chopsticks were out of style) Zoro snorted. Relative normalcy, indeed.

He walked down the street, looking into shop windows without much interest. Even if they had been open, he didn't have any money anyway. However, one shop did catch his eye.

An internet café. A small sign read _"Complimentary use of the GLGS."_

"Hm…" Zoro hummed, peeking into the café. Small, round tables were arranged along one side of the narrow building with monitors and headsets. An elderly man was tending to the coffee, whistling cheerfully as he polished a ceramic mug briskly. "Old man, can I use your GLGS?"

The man raised an eyebrow. "Got any money on you?"

"Not a beri."

"Sure, go ahead."

Zoro nodded his thanks and sat down, looking at the once-familiar controls in his hands. Surely after such a long hiatus—had it been a year already?—it was okay just to try it out once?

He flicked on the console, grinning as the screen lit up and The World grew around him.

He wandered through a city whose name he had long forgotten; wearing the armor that he had not remembered donning. Apparently he was still famous though, because he heard his name whispered as he walked down the street, watching people scramble out of his way whispering _Roronoa Zoro, the legendary Obsidian Knight._

Damned right.

When a brash young man had challenged him to a battle, he shrugged and gripped a single sword. The boy fell within moments of his challenge.

When Zoro slid his swords back into their proper positions, he blinked slightly at the flash of red on his dark green armor.

A bright red good-luck charm embroidered with golden thread waved merrily by his waist, where his sword hilts met.

He quickly signed out and thanked the coffee shop owner quietly before leaving hastily. The old man at the counter looked after him curiously, with comprehension dawning slightly on his face. A customer ordering coffee followed his eyes.

"Something the matter, Munetoshi?" the blond man asked with a cackle. "Don't tell me you're going senile?" The man's double-pierced ears flashed with a light matched by his pointed teeth.

---

Zoro ambled along the street, searching for someone from his crew to help him get back to the ship. He would rather go to a bar, where the barkeeps weren't namby-pamby chefs who snarled whenever you so much as _looked_ at the decent sake, but he still was out of cash. It would be better to deal with Sanji than with Nami. He grinned when he saw Brooke.

"Oi, Brooke! Going back to the Sunny?" Zoro asked. Brooke was probably the only one who wouldn't tease him about his directional skills.

"Unfortunately, I am not," Brooke said gravely. "I'm going to the town tavern. It's one of the few places open on this day of the week."

Zoro beamed, falling in step with the other man. "Got any money?"

"A fair amount, yes."

"Good. Do you think you can spot me for a few drinks?"

"Sigh…of course, of course."

The tavern in question was a neatly-kept little building with western-style swinging doors and gleaming, well-kept wooden tables. The bald man at the counter grunted in greeting to them.

"What'll it be?" the barkeeper asked gruffly.

"Sake."

"Make that two."

"Coming right up." Two round bottles were pulled from under the counter, with a pair of saucers. "Here you are."

Zoro poured a small amount into both saucers, drinking his gratefully. "Ah, thanks, Brooke. I really needed this."

"Is something troubling you?" Brooke asked politely. He burped loudly. "Ah! Pardon me!"

Zoro thought for a moment, and then spoke hesitantly. "Have you ever had an addiction, Brooke? Or some kind of problem similar to it?"

Brooke cradled his sake in his bony hands, humming a ghostly tune softly to himself as he pondered the question. "An addiction, huh? I suppose you could say I am addicted to music. Most definitely. Without it, I would probably die. But of course, I'm already—"

"—already dead, right? Old joke, Brooke. It's even older than I am," Zoro said with a groan. "But is there anything else? You can always make music, but there are some things that you can't get by yourself."

Brooke traced a thin line of condensation from the bottle across the table, listening to his fingers sliding lightly across the wood. "Other than that, I have not really had any other addiction. Why?"

Zoro rubbed Wado Ichimonji's hilt absently. "Eh, I've just been thinking about it lately. I've retained some…unhealthy fascinations, you know?"

"Ah! Yes, I understand. It reminds me of another habit that I seem to have forgotten. My penchant for panties!" Brooke exclaimed excitedly.

"Um…no. Not like that," Zoro deadpanned. "Definitely not anything like that."

"Peeping?"

"No."

"Panty-theft?"

"No!"

"Erotic dreams of Sanji?"

"What the fuck?"

Brooke dodged the flying fist with a grin. "Relax, Zoro. Why don't you just come out and say what's on your mind. I'm sure you'll feel much better. I'll take your secret to the grave, I promise."

"You've never played The World, have you?" Zoro asked hesitantly. Brooke shook his head.

"I dabbled a little when I first joined the crew, but unfortunately it was broken before I could really get into it," Brooke said with a pointed look at Zoro. The green-haired swordsman ignored the last comment with a pull from the sake bottle.

"Well, I played whenever I was recovering and Chopper would bug me about training. Which was kind of a lot, come to think of it. But I met this chick…more like got reacquainted with, but that's beside the point. She was this moron who loved justice just as much as she loved that katana of hers, and she reminded me of this other girl I knew."

"You'll have to be more specific. You're losing me here, Zoro."

"Okay, fine. When I was younger this girl Kuina would always kick my ass. She died. Now this Tashigi comes along with the exact same face and attitude, and begins harassing me about the same ridiculous stuff that Kuina had. But…" Zoro paused.

"Yes?"

"Something reminded me of her, and now that we're all being idle I can't stop thinking about her."

Brooke nodded in understanding. "Ah, the springtime of youth. So young and innocent, and so pure! Believe me, my friend, there are only two remedies for this. One," he held up a bony finger, "is to meet this young lady and confess your love, thereby opening yourself to the chance to have a nice relationship or be flat-out rejected." Zoro coughed slightly. "The other choice is to…" Brooke slid the unopened bottle of sake towards Zoro. "Drink up, my friend."

---

Sanji looked down at the heap of bones and drunken swordsman at his feet. He looked at the bartender, who grinned as he held up a hefty bag of gold—his profits from these two customers alone. Sanji looked back down his nose at the two swordsmen of the Thousand Sunny and snorted in disgust. It was a good thing that he had already emptied his grocery cart on the ship before coming here. With a sigh and a heave, he piled Brooke and Zoro onto the cart before waving goodbye to the bartender.

"Drinking your brains out isn't exactly the smartest thing to do in the New World, even on a tiny island like this," Sanji grumbled, making sure to go directly over a rut in the road so his cargo was jostled. "Idiots. Making me come and get you."

"I'm not drunk…" Zoro groaned. "Just sleeping…" At a particularly violent dip in the road (Sanji was taking care to go over everything and anything that could bump the cart) Zoro's face gained an unhealthy green tint that matched his hair. "You shitty cook, what the hell are you trying to do?"

Brooke rolled over, his bony hands kneading all over Zoro. "Ah, what lovely panties you have," Brooke moaned, obviously still in a drunken stupor.

Zoro rolled out of the cart as quickly as his condition would allow. "Remind me never to go drinking with Brooke again," Zoro grumbled, leaning against a wall unsteadily. "I don't know what he ordered from that bar, but it was the weirdest shit I've ever had to drink."

"What was it called?"

"I think it was called Dragon's Essence or something. Why?"

"Ah, no wonder it's having an effect on a monster like you. It's a blend of five different strong alcohols in a way that produces a sedative effect on the drinker. Nasty stuff, that. Why'd you drink so much, anyway?" Sanji asked as they finally arrived at the Sunny. He dumped Brooke onto the shopping boat, jumping in after the skeleton. Zoro stepped in gingerly, not relishing the idea of being on the ocean while his head was spinning like this. He'd never been affected like this by alcohol, not even when he was drinking at Whiskey Peak.

"It was Brooke's idea. I just needed to forget some things."

"Did it work?"

"If possible, things are worse now."

"Dumbass."

"What was that?!"

"You can't just forget things like that. You need to deal with them."

"I've already dealt with it!"

"Then what's the problem?"

"It keeps coming back to haunt me."

"It's that Marine, isn't it? Tashigi-chan?"

"Don't call her that."

"Please, I don't go after Marine women anymore. They have a tendency to want to kill you."

"Only Marines?"

"Quiet. If she is the problem…" Sanji sighed heavily, steering the shopping boat back towards the Thousand Sunny. "The only real way that things will be okay between you two is if she goes into pirating, because there's no way a pirate can become a Marine. Weren't you the one who broke it off with her?"

Zoro didn't respond; he was too busy looking into the frothy depths of the ocean, thinking.

---

Many, many years later, in the tiny Shimotsuki Village of East blue…

"Sensei! Sensei!" The cries of young children piped up around the elderly man, who smiled down at their exuberance. Most were boys, although there were a few tough girls hanging in with them stubbornly. "We saw the pirate ship! Wasn't that the Pirate King's Jolly Roger?"

The man stroked his chin, feigning ignorance. "Ship? I didn't see a ship. But then again, my eyes aren't as good as they used to be…"

"_Sensei!_ Don't me mean! We saw him! Monkey D. Luffy! And we know that your eyesight is still good, 'cause you can tell from all the way across the room if our feet are not in the right place by even an inch."

He laughed heartily. "Don't worry about that guy. If you're lucky, you might see him on his next visit." He brushed his roughly-cropped hair, mostly gray with flecks of green if you looked closely, back with a sigh. "Go inside and start your exercises. Your stances had better have improved since last week."

"Ack!" All the children ran into the dojo.

Zoro chuckled to himself. It had been a long time since Luffy had claimed the treasure that was universally known as One Piece and been named the Pirate King. Zoro thought back to the day when the Marines had risen to try and eliminate him the minute that he had emerged with his new title, and the epic battle that had followed.

The New World truly had been full of adventures. They were older now, though, and scattered across the oceans in their old age. Luffy's name was still as famous as ever, as was his famous (and battered) straw hat. He still sailed on a small ship, protecting many islands with his name just as Whitebeard used to do in his prime. When the older pirate had died, Luffy had simply donned the man's responsibilities as his own. Although only Nami accompanied Luffy now, since he still didn't know how to navigate, there had been times when the entire crew had been summoned to face the Marines or other pirate groups when they wanted to try and take Luffy down.

Zoro sat on the grass, forgetting about his class momentarily. He knew that he was not in his prime any longer, and worried about his own health as he felt his joints ache every morning and wondered whether the next challenger would be the one to claim his title of World's Greatest Swordsman.

It was getting close to _that time. _The time that they had all agreed upon, to meet at Shimotsuki Village and retire for good. They had chosen this island because it was small, easily defendable, and peaceful due to its position in the weakest Blue. Plus, if they had decided to meet anywhere else, Zoro would surely have gotten lost, and their reunion would have been delayed by years.

Zoro wondered how the rest of them were doing. Luffy he had seen, with Nami, just that day, but he hadn't contacted the others for years.

---

"Aaaah! Pirates are coming!"

Zoro stirred sleepily as he stood stiffly from his hard futon. That cry brought back memories, that was for sure.

"Pirates?" Zoro called, looking at the three huffing students who waited at his doorstep. He pulled on his shirt and boots with a groan before securing his three swords at his waist. Even now, Wado Ichimonji was still as faithful as ever. "What mark?"

One of the young boys stammered, "Well, we're not sure. There were like, three or four ships out there, and all of them had different flags!"

Zoro grinned. "Go back home. It's nothing to worry about. I'll go meet them."

Zoro (eventually) made his way to the small port and stood waiting at the docks, watching the ships file in one by one. The first one to come in was the one that had visited only months prior to this day, and he could see someone waving cheerfully from the figurehead that was crafted in the shape of a monkey. The standard was the familiar hat-bearing Jolly Roger. Behind that one came a small fish-shaped boat, and then a ship that bore a vague resemblance to the old Going Merry. Last, but not least, was the old and oft-repaired Thousand Sunny.

"ZORO!"

"Welcome back, captain." Zoro immediately whipped a sword out to block a kick from the man who had leapt from the fish-shaped boat. "You didn't even stop to say 'hello,' you shitty cook. I was hoping you would stay at the Baratie, but I guess I was out of luck."

"Hello then, shitty marimo. Well, I can't really call you that now, can I? More like moldy marimo, with all that gray hair," Sanji snorted. His own hair was no longer blond either, but white with golden undertones.

The other pirates crowded in on the dock. Nami's face was aged by the laugh lines that framed her face, although her hair was still a stubborn, bright red hue (Zoro knew that she had to be dying it. Her eyebrows were still gray). Usopp's curls were grizzled and still as thick as ever, and Chopper's fur was showing signs of silver as well. Robin had matured more gracefully than most of them, with her silky gray hair and smooth skin, even if she had been more than ten years older than the rest of them when they had met her. Franky and Brooke were as unchanged as ever—Zoro supposed that being a cyborg and a skeleton didn't hurt your image.

"So, this is Zoro's hometown, huh? Looks pretty peaceful," Nami noted as she looked around. Her sharp eyes caught sight of a huddle of children, all bearing bamboo shinaii, standing far away behind a tree. "It looks like we have an audience, though. Your students?"

"Yeah," Zoro groaned. "It took me ages to beat the brattiness out of them. Oy! You! I see you! Get back home, and you better not be late for the afternoon lessons!" The children ran off, squealing. "Little idiots…" Zoro said affectionately. "So, want to come over to my place? I bought some land and cleared it out, but I thought it would be better to hold off the building until everyone was here. Well, mostly Franky, because I can't build anything for shit."

"Yosh! Let's go!" Luffy cried, with as much enthusiasm as he used to have when they went off to explore new islands all those years ago. By now, there was no island that they hadn't visited, and no map that Nami hadn't charted.

"God, even in his sixties, that idiot has too much energy," Zoro groaned. "You know, I just realized this but…we're not actually that old." They made their way up to the dojo.

"This is no time to be living in denial, marimo."

"Shut up. What I mean is, that there are Marines who still work for longer than we've been alive, and who could still give us a damned good fight."

"I believe we should save this conversation until everyone has settled down a little," Robin suggested.

They sat down to a cramped tea session as they huddled around the little table that Zoro had dragged out from a closet. Although the cups were mismatched and a few bore hairline cracks that indicated much use, the tea itself was good and the atmosphere was homey.

"So, you live alone, Zoro?" Usopp asked.

"Yeah. It's easier that way. Why?"

"Eh, no reason. It's always nice to come home to a hot meal and a hot wife though," Usopp said with a grin. "I told Kaya I'd come back and get her once things were settled over here. The kids are just dying to meet Captain Usopp's master swordsman, you know?"

"What the hell have you been teaching your kids?"

"Believe me, it makes the giant goldfish story look credible."

"I think…that if our situations had been different, I would have someone to come home to," Zoro said softly into his cup. Everyone fell silent.

"Who?"

Zoro chuckled softly. "Even after fifty years, the soul retains what the body has lost," he said quietly, looking at the photo of Kuina that hung in the small altar against the wall. He lit incense for her daily and would meditate under the tree that they had often chatted under, chattering to her and hoping that she could hear him in heaven.

"Man, this atmosphere is not super," Franky said gruffly. "We need something to spice things up. Party!"

"Yeah!" Luffy cried, jumping up and nearly spilling his tea. "Zoro! Get out the sembei!"

"Sembei party!" Chopper squealed.

Zoro laughed, going into the kitchen with Zoro to start preparing some food. Some things never change.

---

"I'm too old for this kind of crap, Tashigi."

"You've truly lived a long and illustrious career, Smoker-san. To retire now would certainly be respectable."

"Hnn…what about you, Tashigi?"

"Sir?"

"Going to retire soon?"

"I don't think I'm quite ready for that, Smoker-san."

"I heard from Ace that the Straw Hats had withdrawn from the public eye."

"It's kind of funny…it took you almost fifty years to start calling him anything other than 'brat' or 'Portgas' or 'damned pirate.'"

"Don't dodge the subject."

"Sigh…the pirates nowadays can't hold a candle to the ones of our era, Smoker-san. The great swords have all been collected or lost in the depths of the oceans, or broken by terrible accidents. There is nothing left for me to dream for."

"So, going to retire, then?"

"I suppose there really isn't anything else to do. What are you going to do, sir?"

"I think I'll go back home. Not just Roguetown, but I want to sail quietly around East Blue. It's the calmest of all the oceans, after all, besides the Calm Belts."

"Good. The doctors say that you should put less strain on your heart."

"Those doctors don't know shit. They thought I'd have cholesterol problems too, but they were wrong about that." Smoker clutched his left arm suddenly. "Sorry, my arm went numb for a minute."

"Smoker-san!"

"Only kidding, Tashigi. You'll go gray with worry if you keep that up. Oh. Too late."

Tashigi sighed. "At least your hair has always been gray, so there was not much transition for you. I think you've been spending far too much time with Ace, though. He's rubbed off on you."

"So it seems. Let's tell Headquarters that they can go screw themselves, and then we'll go back home."

---

Even in their advanced ages, the pirates were as full of energy as ever. Zoro hadn't been able to help with the building due to his classes, but he could see rooftops and walls growing every time he looked out the window. Franky was putting a lot of love into this design, that's for sure. He had tried to visit the construction site, but had been shooed off by Luffy with a shouted "It's a surprise!"

Yep, still the same old Luffy.

"Sensei…are they really pirates?" Wide eyes looked up at him.

"Yep. Pretty damned famous, too. The Straw Hat Pirates. Ever heard of them?"

"Yeah, there's the Pirate King and his first mate—" The boy speaking stopped, mouth hanging open. "—Roronoa Zoro!"

"Zoro-sensei! You're THE Roronoa Zoro?"

Zoro rolled his eyes. "Wow, that took you guys so long to figure out. Jeez, pay attention a little more, would you?" He flicked his earrings and rubbed his green-gray hair. "This dojo was where it all started, actually."

"Cool! Sensei, teach us how to be pirates!"

"No." Zoro turned serious in a flash. "Pirating is not all fun and games. You'll find that the world has more than enough pain without you having to look for it. Sometimes…people are ostracized from each other, because of abstract things like 'pirate' or 'Marine.'"

"Awe, sensei's acting like an old fogey again."

"Quiet! Ten laps around the field!"

---

"So, what do you think, Zoro? It's sugeeee!" Luffy practically squealed as he pulled the swordsman along. "Look!"

The completed housing project was enormous. It was built in an ancient style, complete with rice-paper walls and black-tiled rooftops. The central building housed a courtyard with a large koi and lily pond in the middle. As Luffy pulled Zoro along, he saw a glimpse of an enormous, modern kitchen, a vast library, several inventing rooms, and an exercise room. Upstairs, there was bedroom after bedroom, each customized for each crewmate's needs, with a few extra rooms. In the back, there was a large natural hot spring that bubbled delightfully and steamed in the twilight. Zoro could hardly believe that this whole thing had been built so quickly, and with such quality.

Before he could say another word, Usopp burst into the house.

"Hey Lu—oh, hey Zoro. How d'you like the place? Great, isn't it? Oh! Luffy! There's an unidentified ship in the harbor!"

"Ooh! C'mon, Zoro, let's go say hello!"

They ran down to the harbor, and Zoro could feel the years falling off of his shoulders from Luffy's infectious energy. He didn't realize how much he'd missed the crew and their idiocy.

"My grandmother said that she had cousins who lived here generations ago," a voice drifted from the ship's deck, belonging to someone who was not yet seen. The crew gathered quietly, recognizing the faded paint of a Marine battleship. It had been painted over in white, but there was no mistaking it.

"Do you think the Marines chased us all the way out here?" Chopper asked nervously.

Zoro rubbed his head affectionately—even if Chopper was just as much a senior as he was, he was still naïve and adorable.

"I don't know, Chopper. But if they're here for our heads, we'll give them a hell of a fight."

Luffy spotted a bright orange skiff that bobbed merrily alongside the larger ship, and his jaw dropped as he launched himself onto the ship's deck.

"ACE!"

"LUFFY!"

A large crash and collision was heard as the two brothers embraced ferociously out of sight. Zoro chuckled, until he saw a mop of gray hair that grew into the sour scowl of a certain Marine ex-Commodore.

"Shit…" Zoro and Smoker both said at the same time. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Zoro blinked. "Wait. If this guy's here, then…"

"We've lost contact with the family that moved here, though--oooh." Wide eyes blinked owlishly behind red-rimmed glasses.

The awkward silence was broken by the boisterous interactions between Ace and Luffy.

"You little rascal, you never told me that you had settled down!"

"You never told me that you retired, either!"

"Idiot, it was in the newspapers!"

"Pfft…so was our news…"

"Fair enough. So, what're you guys doing here?"

As Luffy explained, Smoker and Tashigi walked woodenly down the planks to follow Ace and Luffy.

Robin felt the tension in the air and spoke up, calmly and politely as always.

"Perhaps we should discuss this over a cup of tea? The new house is ready."

---

Zoro stared.

Tashigi stared.

The teapot sitting between them cracked.

Luffy looked up at the sound and detached himself from his brother's affectionate embrace. "You guys are so boring. You're not even talking."

"Well, there's nothing to say."

"'Course there is!" Luffy said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Just tell her what you've been saying in your dreams, Zoro!"

"Wait, what?" Zoro gasped. "What are you talking about?" How could Luffy know what he had been dreaming about?"

"Yeah, you talk in your sleep sometimes. You say stuff like—"

Zoro clapped a hand over his mouth. "Quiet. I'll tell her myself. Look! Sanji brought more sembei!" Luffy scampered off.

"So…" Zoro began, but was cut off when Tashigi held up a hand.

"No. You're not going to say a single word until I've said my piece," Tashigi interrupted. "We cannot continue this charade any longer. You are no longer a pirate, and as of two months ago, I am no longer a Marine. That will never change until the day we die, which is probably not that far off for some of us Don't speak," she said quickly, Zoro beginning to speak in exasperation. "Let me finish. You are a sword-happy fool whose sense of direction is as bad as my eyesight. You are jaded to the point that you don't even trust your own shadow. In other words, you're an idiot."

Zoro stared in disbelief at her words.

"We no longer have to be enemies on his ocean. Men have approached me, with sweet words and wily charms. But I have never given myself to them. You may have once said that I was your idiot, and that is true. But it takes one to know one." She smiled, before rising and heading out the door. "Are you feeling bold today, ojiisan?" She left.

Zoro stood and ran out after her.

After wandering through the house for a while, he eventually found his way outside. He saw her standing, watching the moon.

After fifty long years, he embraced her, knowing that he no longer had anything to fear.

---

A/N: So, general review responses!

Santoryuu-Zoro: My favorite-favorite-FAVORITE reviewer. You must have written reviews for every single chapter. I was always excited when you wrote because you'd always write what you liked, which helped me with my general direction. I'll be writing stories from ideas that you sent me, so stay posted :)

Athena Hermione Ravett: Phew, what a mouthful! Definitely the one whose critiques I took special note of. You're always very thorough, and very polite about how you present your comments.

xShurikenx: You were also a reviewer whose questions and appreciation shaped the story. Now that I look back, you've been a faithful reader, too.

SeeNoEvil21: The game is never truly over. Well, except when you crush it to bits and throw it into the water, haha. I'm glad that you liked my story :]


	22. Omake: Cosplay

A/N: Purely a fun chapter. Won't add to the plot or anything, but this would be set at around the time after Zoro found out about the whole Straw Hat Cosplay thing.

---

Zoro stretched with a wide yawn, bending his body into cat-like contours to work all the kinks out of his back. Scratching himself absently, he sat up and realized that he was alone in the room, and that all the other men were out—presumably doing whatever stupid things they tended to like doing, like testing whether Chopper would float like a dandelion seed in the air if thrown up in Guard Point (that particular experiment had earned them more than a few hits from Nami, and Chopper had hidden in the closet for days). Digging around in the drawer allotted to him for his own articles of clothing (sadly, it was most empty because most of his clothing ended up being irreparably torn apart or bloodstained. Pity) Zoro saw a bit of green cloth poking out of one of the drawers that belonged to the other men. He knew that it wasn't Sanji's, since the chef was impeccable about his personal appearance and space; the man even had a whole dresser to himself, divided neatly into underwear and socks, shirts, and suits. Zoro grunted in disapproval as he realized that the cloth was poking out of Usopp's drawer.

Now, normally he wouldn't pay any attention to this sort of thing. It wasn't unusual for Luffy to leave old, unwashed underwear all over whatever hammock he happened to throw his clothes onto. One time Zoro had had an unpleasant experience when he had flumped onto his bed and found a face full of…Luffy's undergarments. Sometimes Franky would leave his soiled Speedo all over the place too, and that was even worse than Luffy because at least the rubberman wore boxers like a real man, not those tight things that _clung_ to everything and _touched_ everything.

The rubberman and cyborg had been properly punished for leaving their dirty laundry all over the place_._

After learning about all this ridiculous cosplay business, Zoro swore that he'd been seeing the signs everywhere. Whenever they stopped at islands to restock, he thought he'd see other blond assholes wearing their hair combed and gelled stiffly over one eye while flirting with women in their pressed suits, or curly-haired people with plastic noses hanging off their faces with shirtless overalls and Kabutos made of green duct tape and broom handles. He even saw a guy with a green haramaki who, unfortunately, was rather out of shape and wobbled. Zoro knew that people didn't generally wear that kind of clothing, and had run off in the opposite direction in a panic (as it turns out, the old man wearing the haramaki had bought it because it was fantastically cheap).

But given that _Johnny_ and _Yosaku_ had been cosplaying, he wouldn't put it past anyone. Especially not someone like Usopp.

Therefore, he was on his guard.

When he pulled open the drawer, he let loose a mighty bellow of shock and horror.

---

Luffy and Usopp were seated inside the galley with Chopper sprawled across their laps, watching Sanji demonstrate the art of making pancakes.

"Okay, you idiots, you pour the batter onto the pan and let it sit—"

"Is it done yet? I'm sooo hungry."

"Aha! I, Usopp-sama, once made a thousand pancakes and ate them for my midmorning snack!"

"Eeh?! Really?"

"…you guys…"

A roar tore through the ship, and everyone stumbled as they ran to the source of that noise.

They found Zoro pressed up against the wall by his own horror, pointing at the open drawer with a horrified expression on his face akin to the one he had worn upon seeing that old woman from Water 7 as a mermaid.

"That…that…" he mumbled incoherently, hand shaking. They all turned to look, and Usopp paled. Sanji ran over and grabbed the offending articles, shaking them at the sharpshooter.

"Is this a haramaki?" Sanji croaked, waving it in the air. He sniffed it slightly and grimaced. "Smells like the real article, too." He dug through the drawer. "A red vest, still smelling of meat…urp, Speedo that smells way too ripe, too. What the hell?" He pulled out several hairy pieces of something. "Wigs? There's black, green, blond, and blue. You shitty longnose, this was my best tie! I was looking all over for this! It still smells like my cologne!"

Usopp backed up slowly, but found that the door had been shut by a mortified Franky.

"What kind of sick hobby do you have, Usopp?" Zoro snarled, finding his voice at last. The other men all turned to stare accusingly at the sniper. Usopp laughed nervously, looking around desperately for an avenue of escape.

"I know it looks like I have some weird fetish or cosplay thing but it's not that, really!" Usopp protested. "Just because it, um, looks like I stole your clothes from your drawers or the laundry hamper—"

"What's going on?" Nami walked through the door, looking annoyed. "Was that you who yelled, Zoro? I nearly spilled ink all over my maps." She looked around at everyone and realized what was going on as she saw the drawer full of stolen clothes and a sheepish Usopp. "Oh, I'm sure he didn't mean any harm by it," she said slowly. "Almost everyone has weird and secret hobbies." Robin walked in and watched the proceedings in amusement.

"O-oi," Usopp protested weakly.

"You shouldn't defend him," Zoro said, slowing recovering from his shock as he dug through the drawer. "Look."

Nami saw her polka-dot bikini being waved in front of her, as well as an orange wig.

"Nami…?" Usopp stuttered, turning pale as she regarded him stonily.

Robin had to restrain the outraged navigator with a wave of her arms, chuckling in amusement.

"Now, navigator-san, calm down. You were right in what you said before, about all of us having strange…hobbies…" Robin's voice trailed off when Zoro pulled out a long, silky black wig and a revealing purple blouse. A padded bra followed.

Usopp decided to run for his life.

---

"You guys, isn't this a little harsh?" Chopper squealed. "It's dangerous up there!"

"Don't worry, Chopper, we tied him up really well," Sanji growled over the shrieks of a certain sniper.

"Even if he does fall, it's his own damned fault," Zoro added.

"You'd feel the same way if you found a Chopper cosplay somewhere in his possession, too," Nami said. Luffy and Franky nodded in agreement. Chopper sighed and went up to Robin.

"Could you stop, please?" Chopper pleaded plaintively. Robin didn't seem to hear him.

Up above, while hanging from the crow's nest, Usopp was tied up like a fly in a spider's web as arms that sprouted from all over his body to tickle him as he swung back and forth helplessly.

Nami looked at the sun's position. "It's almost time to take him down." Chopper looked up hopefully, and she smiled sinisterly. "We're keelhauling him next."


	23. Omake: Shichibukai Special

A/N: Set after Chapter 21. Yes, they're old. This is for ohlordies: I hope you like it! I'll work on another omake for your other requests, too :) (My writing improved after I started getting into fanfiction, too! Yay for us!)

---

"Hai! Hai!" the shouts of children as they swung practice shinai rang through the air, blending in with rather than disturbing the morning calm. Zoro watched his students proudly as they practiced, smiling slightly at their improvement.

"Ya! Ya!"

Zoro frowned. _This_ was a new development, and one that he didn't particularly like.

Another group of children was running by, garbed in matching white karate uniforms. Behind them, an elderly man with snowy white hair jogged along with them, nimble despite his age. Every few steps, he would shout "Hup!" and the children would perform flying kicks in the air, land, and continue running. As they ran by the open window, the man would look in and grin mischievously before shouting "Hup!" again.

Zoro swore that he was doing it on purpose. He had to have been doing it on purpose.

Sanji grinned and shouted, "Ready, kids? Now!"

The children began to sing lustily around the dojo, their voices piping like baby magpies.

"_Marimo! Moldy marimo! Your direction's so bad, you don't know where to go! Marimo! Marimo! Mari-mari-marimo! You're in Nami baa-san's debt, debt, debt! You're the biggest dork we've ever met! Maaarimo!"_ At this point, one of the children shouted, _"Zoro ojii-san!"_ just in case there was any doubt about who they were talking about.

Yeah. Sanji was definitely doing this on purpose.

Zoro ground his teeth and shook his head. He wouldn't stoop to making his students learn stupid songs like that and parade them around the village, or sully the sacred learning grounds with petty arguments.

However, it seems as though the group had made a new chorus to go with the song, for they broke into song as Sanji shouted, "Second verse!"

"_Ma-ma-ma-marimo! Don't know where to go-go-go! Sleeping all day, on your booty—your loyalty to Luffy looks kinda fruity!"_

"Screw it," Zoro snarled. "Oi! Kids!" He ran outside with his own students behind him, and they began the routine that they had been practicing for weeks.

---

"My, they certainly are lively today, aren't they?" Robin commented in amusement as she sipped on a cup of tea. Franky nodded as he chugged down a bottle of cola, smacking his lips in satisfaction. Even from here, they could hear the bellows of children shouting _Curly-brow!_ and _Ero-cook!_

"I swear, now that Sanji and Zoro both dislocated their hips while fighting, their methods of getting at each other just get more immature," Nami sighed, sitting on a cushion. Before she could begin to pour herself a cup of tea, Luffy came sprinting into the house. The flecks of dried seaweed on his face and the crab he was clutching in his hand indicated that he had been on the coast, most likely frequenting the fish market.

"Nami! We have visitors!" Luffy cried, jumping around excitedly. Nami kind of resented the fact that his rubbery body made him less susceptible to wrinkles.

"Visitors? Who?" she asked. "Friendly or not?" When she saw a lipstick mark gracing his cheek among the seaweed flecks, she grimaced. "Ah. Friendly, I see. I suppose we should go down and greet them properly."

"No need," Robin said. "I have already made contact." She uncrossed her arms. "I have given them directions to the house. No need to go back and forth when it's not necessary, right?"

Nami sighed in relief, sipping her tea as she relaxed. "I love you, Robin. Thanks."

"It seems as though swordsman-san has a visitor too, though."

---

"Luffy, would you like more tea?" Boa Hancock fluttered her eyes prettily at him. She was the kind of person who aged gracefully—far more so than Kokoro or Elder Nyon—and her hair was a hue of silver that practically glittered in the light. Luffy seemed to be far more interested in the sembei and tea in her hands than her flirtatious tone, but both of them seemed perfectly content with that. Nami snorted in displeasure, but held her tongue. Last time, Luffy had only _just_ managed to convince Boa that it would be a bad idea to leave Nami as a stone statue.

"Where is Roronoa Zoro?" Mihawk interrupted impatiently. "I was told that I could find him here."

"You're not still sore over the whole 'Zoro took the title of World's Greatest Swordsman,' are you?" Usopp asked, munching on a sembei. Mihawk glared at him.

"Of course not. It was high time for me to pass the title on. However, for him to be as discourteous as to not greet a guest is something that I cannot believe."

Chopper cupped a hand around his ear, listening. "I think I hear them coming."

It wasn't long until everyone else heard the sounds of their fighting.

"_Shitty cook!"_

"_Marimo!"_

"_Perverted bastard!"_

"_Neanderthal!"_

"Sounds like their teaching is done for the day," Franky laughed. "They must be feeling pretty super this week!"

Sanji and Zoro burst into the house and into the sitting room where everyone was gathered. They froze, one hand gripping short gray-green hair and another gripping snowy white hair. They each had a fist and a foot against the other person's face.

"Oh. Hey, Mihawk," Zoro said nonchalantly, as though the toe of a shoe was not causing blood to run down his nose. "'Sup."

"Ah, Boa-chan!" Sanji cried, ignoring the blood that was running down his nose from seeing Boa as well as from the fist that was smashing into it. "That you should grace this humble abode with your glorious presence…!"

Boa kissed Luffy lightly on the cheek. Sanji fell to the ground in devastation.

Zoro wiped the blood from his face and nodded to Mihawk as he sat on his cushion. "What brings you to the area, Mihawk?"

Mihawk merely shrugged, twitching his salt and pepper moustache. "I saw Boa Hancock's ship and decided to join her for a brief period after she told me her destination. She told me that you are teaching at a dojo."

Zoro nodded. "I have quite a few kids under my wing. The other ones in the village are all a bit dim—they chose to learn Red Leg instead. No idea why they'd want to do that."

Sanji bolted up, snarling, "What was that? I'm surprised anyone would want to learn—" He stopped, realizing that he was speaking to two men who had held the position of World's Greatest Swordsman. "I mean, what's wrong with Red Leg?"

Mihawk ignored him. "Take me to your class tomorrow morning."

"Uh…sure. What about in the meantime?"

Luffy swallowed the crackers in his mouth and grinned.

"Hey! Let's play The World!"

---

One thing that Zoro loved about The World was that he was forever nineteen years old in the game.

"Shall we fight, Roronoa Zoro?"

One thing that Zoro didn't like about The World was that Mihawk loved to challenge him here. It had been fine the first few times, but Mihawk apparently had a lot of time on his hands, and was at an outrageously high level now. Mihawk was an Assassin Cross, and looked very similar to how he did in real life. Zoro wondered if he had threatened the administrators to be allowed to keep his image.

Secretly, Zoro would level up when everyone else was asleep. He had a new class now, but that is a story for another day.

---

Zoro wished that Mihawk had never come to visit.

Something about the tiny village, apparently, appealed to the normally restless man. Zoro didn't know if it was nostalgic or if Mihawk was looking for somewhere to settle down—and god forbid that Mihawk should choose _this village_—or if he enjoyed making Zoro squirm. But every morning, he would wake Zoro up at the crack of dawn to train and meditate, and would sit in every lesson like a stone guardian dog that sat in the temple in the hills. He would only speak when he felt that Zoro could use aid in his lessons, which was quite often. On the plus side, Sanji never came around when Mihawk was there, but Zoro suspected that it was because Boa was still hanging around, too. He didn't know how Mihawk would react to hearing derisive songs about him.

Boa was getting to him, too.

Every day when he came home, things unfolded thusly…

"Welcome back, Zoro!" Boa said, looking up from where she was giving Luffy a backrub and ignoring Nami's heated glares. Zoro grunted, letting Mihawk pass through the door before coming into the house. Everyone else was doing their own thing. Usopp and Franky were tinkering, Robin and Chopper were reading or researching, and Brooke was on the roof playing his violin. Sanji was fawning over Boa, who was fawning over Luffy, who was begging Sanji for meat.

It was ridiculously predictable.

The upside to having Boa around was that she kept Luffy somewhat under some measure of control. She had a vast knowledge of stories and games from her own adventures, and he was captivated by that. The downside was that Nami was far more snappish than usual, and Zoro now had more debt than he could clear in three lifetimes.

"Is there a waterfall close to here? That would be excellent for stamina training," Mihawk said seriously. "One must stand naked under the water at the coldest part of the morning for the maximum effect. I must insist that you join me, Roronoa."

Zoro had the sudden urge to go sailing. Anywhere but here.

---

"Roronoa Zoro, you have aged well."

Zoro slapped his forehead. What. The. Hell.

"Hello, Kuma. You…haven't aged at all."

"It's one of the benefits of being a cyborg created by Vegapunk," Kuma responded gravely. He looked at the scene before him. A hassled Zoro was teaching his class as Mihawk gave his own advice about how Zoro should discipline his students more harshly.

Kuma put a hand to Zoro's forehead.

"I am pushing the stress from your body," Kuma said solemnly, and Zoro's eyes widened in surprise as a bubble of energy was rejected from his body. "What would you like me to do with it?" The children watched in fascination as Zoro immediately pointed at Mihawk.

To his credit, Mihawk didn't make a sound as he crouched in the corner, clutching his head.

---

Zoro went home that night with the two guests in tow. Mihawk was stubbornly silent as he rubbed his head and looked with slight resentment at Kuma. Kuma walked along as calmly as always, and Zoro wondered if anything ever fazed the man.

"Hey, Zoro! Look! We have another guest!" Luffy cried in excitement. "A lot of people have been coming lately, huh?"

"You're so right, Luffy," Boa cooed, hugging him tightly. Nami twitched.

"Yeah, I already brought him—wait, who the hell is that?" Zoro gaped as the man sitting with the rest of the crew at the table grinned widely in greeting. "You look like a pimp," Zoro stated bluntly.

"Donquixote Doflamingo. It's a pleasure to meet the one who kicked Mihawk's ass, Roronoa Zoro." Donquixote held out a hand, and Zoro couldn't help but notice that the man's fashion taste was just as bizarre as Sanji's. "Hello, Kuma. You're here too, Mihawk?"

The two men nodded seriously, sitting and pouring themselves cups of tea.

Zoro decided that these people were getting way too comfortable here.

---

"Goodbye, Luffy! I'll miss you terribly!" Boa called from the prow of her ship, blowing a kiss to him.

"Roronoa Zoro! Meet me in the City of Chrysanthemum!" Mihawk called as his small boat sailed out of the harbor. "Don't neglect your swordsmanship, either, and remember what I told you about teaching those children!"

Kuma was already gone. No one knew when or how he had left, but…he was gone.

Donquixote had already sailed off with a sardonic grin and lazy wave. However, he had make a far more lasting mark than any of the others had.

"Thanks for the advice, Donquixote!" Sanji yelled. He now wore a blue and white shirt in swirling patterns with a turquoise feather boa draped over his shoulders. He had also dug up his old sunglasses from somewhere, and stood as proudly as a peacock in the sun.

Zoro took one look at Sanji before bursting out into laughter.

"You look like even more of an idiot than usual."

---

Sanji watched his students practicing their stationary kicks, nodding in satisfaction. His ears perked up as he heard a group of high-pitched voices (with one gruff one) singing and coming closer.

_Curly-brow has no fashion sense! Ero-cook is really dense!_

Sanji's eyebrow twitched as he ran a hand through his feather boa.

"Hey kids, got any new song ideas?"

---

A/N: Yes, perhaps not as detailed into their interactions as it could have been, but I didn't want to make it too long.


End file.
